Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It could've been the blaring horns, or the breaking pots, stunning was a multitude of sounds, making his ears nearly bleed, unmistakable whistling, clanking, shouts, fire. In a matter of moments it was bloodshed and explosions, it'd been years since he'd actually been in the heat of battle, nothing but a broom in his hands to beat back foes and out of control fires. But How did this happen?

Thirty-two years is a long life in his honest opinion, for a viking. Definitely for a Thorston, surprising himself with that he sits up, groggy and plagued with heavy limbs he yawns. Stretching out, joints pop and crack.

This morning he had a feeling set in his gut, quickly that was forgotten when his twin sister burst into his hut shoving his two year old niece into his arms. Maudnut in turn immediately yanked his hair spewing out random words as Ruffnut grinned "thanks for watching her bro!"

He stuttered mentally as she scampered for the door, "Wait! When did I say-" he cut off as the door shut, "Loki's sake" he hissed. Maud pulls on his hair more, rather harshly while pointing to the kitchen, "food!" She spots the open shelves he was shifting through just before Ruff barged in.

His pantry is mostly filled with dried fruit, dried meat, and bone stock. He spots what she wants though, a loaf of bread Gothi gave him yesterday. He sets Maudnut down in a chair many sizes to big for her to sit on, but she sits still as he slices the loaf before putting a spread on a piece and handing it to her. He eats a slice for the morning, looking to his niece who manages to get berry spread all over her face.

"You know you and your dad have alot in common. Like a little Fishlegs" he spoke

Cleaning her up was difficult, Maud had to be as cheeky as possible, when he finally got her clean she slipped out his grasp and ran around his hut. He sighed standing, grabbing his satchel, tying his hair back so the gremlin couldn't yank on it on the walk to Gothi's hut, she offered him a job and an apprenticeship which he took because he had nothing to do anymore.

Scooping up the rowdy child he hands her one of the wooden toys Ruff brought for her, something Ruffnut got into after the dragons left was wood whittling and she was good, the wooden zippleback was almost lifelike. He left his hut carrying the toddler like a sack of potatoes, tucked under his arm. Stopping to pick up the toy everytime Maud threw it.

Gothi had the highest hut in all of new berk, he thought it had something to do with being the village elder. But she wrote it was better for her health, he immediately believed that because she is ancient. Being her apprentice for eight years he learned alot, he could even read her writings better then Gobber now, it was fun as well a few times he made some vikings think they were going to lose limbs, until he was wacked with a staff from an angry tiny woman.

"lookie!" Maud shouted in his ear, pointing where she wanted him to look, he spotted a ship in the horizon, the insignia was odd for what he thought it was he shrugged and kept going, boats passed alot either it be merchants or travelers, he'd ask Snotlout about that when he returned, weapons merchant of berk was Snotlout's official title, so he knew what was going on out there.

The small healers hut was already busy by the time he got there, Gothi was taking care of what looked to be someone's twisted ankle, Tuff avoided the injured went to set Maud inside. It wasn't the first time he had to watch his neice at work and Gothi thankfully let him set up an area for Maud to play in her hut. Once the toddler was distracted he went out to aid the elder, grabbing empty wares to be cleaned and sweeping away dirt.

If you would have told him when he was a dragon rider that he'd be sweeping floors for the village læknir he would have thought you were pulling a prank and probably loki you for the next few moons.

"Tuff!" Astrid popped into his sights, Nuffink by her side.

"Hoff!" He replied quickly, "what are you doing all the way up here A?"

"Nuffink is sick, I was hoping Gothi was free to give him something but looks like theres quite a bit of work for her"

"I can help!" Tuff grins.

Astrid narrows her eyes, immediately her thoughts are readable even to Tuff. "No tricks I swear! Gothi would beat me with her stick If I did anything!"

"Fine but if I even smell the smallest hint of loki I'm getting Gothi"

He pouts "ma dame you have no faith in me!" He exaggerates, before looking around its obviously too crowded out here to do anything "Probably better to look him over inside" he mumbles

Astrid nods following him into Gothi's hut, looking around the hut, "Ruff left Maud with you today I see"

"I guess I said I'd watch her? unsure." He replied, "So lets see whats going on with you" he turned to Nuffink

The five year old told him how he felt, it sounded like food poisoning something Tuff definitely had before more then once, not something he recommended. He thought of something to ease it, can't out right help it. "When did you start feeling ill?" He asked.

"Yesterday"

"Ok thats good It should go away on its own sometime today or tomorrow, best I can do for food poisoning is some ginger mint tea. should help a bit"

"Well-" Astrid started, The door opens, Gustav stands there, "Astrid! Hiccup sent me to find you"

Astrid stands looking to Tuffnut, "Tuff can you take Nuffink?"

"Yeah"

"Alright lets go Gustav" the Cheiftess heads out passing by Gothi.

The elder looks over the boy, 'find him a pail, then help me make the tea'

Gothi walks into her kitchen having Tuffnut fetch her water to boil, mashing ginger root and stripping mint leaves to strain into the water. Something she prepared often because alot of the berkians ate things they weren't supposed too, and she quite enjoyed the tea.

Nuffink drank the hot tea without batting an eye before asking for another cup, this one he took time to sip. Finally he set the cup aside and stood, saying he didn't feel like throwing up as much anymore.

Tuff left the hut with him, heading down the long path, one could tumble forever down this steep way, how many laps around the world would one accomplish tumbling forever, could they out race Sköll and Hati maybe even catch the wolves prey itself, what would it be like to hold the sun?

Nuffink lazily followed along, the boy seemed tired, so tired Tuff ended up just picking him up. He wasn't heavy, just sickly, sweaty and smelly. Tuff walked carefully to not jostle the kid with food poisoning, Eret pushed by him in a hurry. Causing Tuff to be on guard, "whats going on?!"

Eret doesn't stop "ships from the east and the west speeding toward our shoreline!"

Tuff looks out at the horizon, south to the port was that ship he saw this morning, to the east was eight ships, large and intimidating ships, Nuffink saw them too, wriggling out of his grip and running down the path. Tuff chased after the boy trying not to let the five year old injure himself, "How are you so tiny and so fast!" He huffs.

"Da!" Nuffink ran past the houses, racing to the south port, "wait! Nuffink!" Tuff tried to catch his breath "Loki please don't let Snotlout have kids!" Running across the village was not something he did on the regular.

Following to the port, Nuffink stopped and stood watching his parents who were speaking with a man, the man had a large build but slightly shorter then the average man, he didn't seem unique in anyway, the only things that stuck out being the short cloak with that same insignia as the boat and his ashen chin length hair. Tuffnut stood by Nuffink and watched the group, as did a small crowd. Four berkians and a stranger spoke quietly for the most part.

Suddenly Hiccup and Astrid's demeanors shift into an unwelcoming one, Gustav quickly follows their lead gripping his axe, Gobber seemed the least hostile, though he wasn't welcoming. The stranger smiles and doesn't move, completely unaffected by their hostility, suddenly his voice raises for more to hear.

"Shame I really wanted to see a night fury guess all those rumors of berk keeping dragons is false, and you don't even know where they are? Its been what Twelve? Twelve years since dragons vanished and one of the known dragon loving villages moves entirely. I don't know about you but thats susp-"

"Leave" Hiccup spits, "take the supplies and Leave."

"I'm afraid I can't just do that now" he reaches back behind his shoulder.

Tuff suddenly doesn't like the situation, the ships, the man, he didn't like it before but now he really didn't like it.

"Hiccup Its an attack!" Gustav shouts.

If Hiccup didn't move back, if Gustav didn't move forward with his axe, that curved sword would've made good on wounding their chief, Tuffnut grabs Nuffink, covering his eyes from the battle, plenty of strong vikings jumping in to fight the strangers army.

Tuffnut wasn't as limber and his battle training was entirely rusty, best he could do was get the child out of harms way, as the horn blared, as arrows flew, the nearest thing was a broom, beating down a fire in his way, and thomping an enemy on the head with the burning bits.

Tuffnut raced up the hill, Nuffink kicked and fought, determined to get to his parents, and Tuffnut was determined not to let Astrid kill him for letting Nuffink into the battle, so he held on to Nuffink, his legs burned and his lungs protested his exertion, he hadn't run so fast in a long time.

Gothi held the door open, the moment he ran past her she shut it, he set Nuffink down, the child crying and screaming for his ma and da, Gothi scribbled furiously, Tuffnut looked out the window, they didn't have time, new berk was burning, bloodshed all over.

He stepped outside, broom in hand, watching the path, he'd fight off anyone that decided to attack Gothi or the kids, even if it cost him. Tuffnut gripped the handle, he was scared, everything was wrong, he didn't want to think of who was alive and who was dead, if they'd survive, because this wasn't supposed to happen.

So standing there, watching a few injured start heading toward Gothi's hut, so did the enemy, following the maimed and wounded, Tuffnut hardened his will, preparing himself for a fight he wasn't sure he could win.

Chapter Text

Tuff woke suddenly, jolting up in his bed with a shout, hand flying to his chest, he  could vaguely feel the blade of an axe entering his chest, breaking bone and slicing his heart and lung.

Looking around, he wasn't in battle, he wasn't holding a smoldering broom. There wasn't blaring horns or the smell of blood, matter of fact it didn't smell like new berk at all. The slightest scent of burning, and old wood. Mixed with the nostalgic scent of old berk.

He was in a bed, he swung his legs off the side and stood. Stretching his back didn't creak or pop, it felt amazing. Like he hadn't any sore or pain anywhere. he looked down at himself, and wondered how someone found his old clothes, or how he stilll fit them, or why his hair wasn't braided like it always was, or where his hair beads are.

Tuffnut then noticed the room, it was his, but his old one in his parents house, on old berk? "What in Loki's name.."

In the reflection in his helmet, he saw his unmistakable face, only seventeen years in the past. He pinched himself but still wasn't convinced that it wasn't a dream, everything felt so real, down to the weird awkward feeling he had when he was a teen.

Then just as he remembered, Ruffnut started banging on his wall, because she always woke up first. He was panicking, it was like Barf and Belch were doing a spinning dive in his brain, jumbling it around. He couldn't wrap his head around it, and he knew alot.

And the only thing he could really think. Was, How is this possible? Or Why?

He had an axe in his chest, he remembers dying, and now. He was fourteen again. Tuffnut had a sudden realization, he was fourteen again, its seventeen years in the past, and Ruffnut wasn't yelling about feeding Barf and Belch..

"Berk's people and Dragons are still at war" Tuffnut spoke, eyes widening.

He paced his room, he couldn't take this, he tugged at his hair. Why couldn't Fishlegs, Astrid or Hiccup be sent back to now.

"HICCUP!" Tuffnut perked up, if anyone was sent back it had to be Hiccup, Tuffnut couldn't be the only one. Tuffnut had already ruled Ruffnut out because if she was sent back she would have barged in and scrambled his brain over it.

Tuffnut put his Helmet on, and stepped out of his room, of course he ran into someone. Tuff froze promptly, staring at his mother, it made him realize just how much he missed her, maybe in the moment he shouldn't have, but running to her and embracing his mother was all he could do.

He missed her. How she smelled of hard work, how her clothes were always slightly dirtied with soot or dirt, how strong she was, how she never took anyone's disrespect. How she absolutely adored Ruff and him, her babies. And she had made that clear.

"Tuff? Dear, are you alright my boy?" She asked, returning his hug.

"I am Ma.. I am" He felt safe, for the first time in a long time, hugging his mother for the first time in so long.

Maybe figuring this out could wait, if only a moment.

Chapter Text

It'd been too long since he had his mother's food, proper and filling, they didn't have the gold nor silver pennies to afford much, so she made due with what she had. And she made it delicious, Tuffnut never wanted his mouth to be tainted by Astrid's cooking again or it would kill his tastebuds. Again.

Maybe he should learn how to cook a bit, because making teas, storing jams and bread is one thing, but making meals like his mother would really make life better, he had the time and really he didn't want Astrid to try cooking again, he could still vividly remember how his mouth burned, the food burnt yet raw. He didn't even want to think of the yaknog.

Ruffnut kept sending him looks, like he was being weird, and he was, he doesn't know what day it is, if he was supposed to be training or if Hiccup shot down Toothless yet, he was honestly confused and alone in the moment.

So he followed her lead, stepping outside the hut behind her, and of course she faces him. "Okay. Bro you're acting weirder then normal"

He did expect it, they are twins why wouldn't she notice him being on edge, fidgety, or even cleanly. Especially after he put his dish away, the look of Ruff being mind boggled at the very act of him not leaving a mess on the table. Yeah she knew something was off.

"What!? No. You're the one being weird-er-er!" He retorted, to her very unamused face.

"Whatever. Lets just go" She huffed not prodding further.

Tuffnut wanted to tell her everything, he did, but even Ruffnut had a limit, and since he knew literally everything about her there was nothing he could tell her that'd make Ruff believe the crazy idea that he was from a different time, dragons were good, she married Fishlegs and that Hiccup was Chief.

He just needed to find Hiccup and follow his lead, like always, Hiccup was good with plans. So he slipped away from Ruffnut as she walked through the street, it was probably just another request they were picking up for their mother, who offered to repair torn fabrics, Ruff could handle that.

Hiccup would normally be at Gobber's smithy this time of day, Tuffnut's stomach twisted up. Last he saw of Hiccup was a blood bath, what if Hiccup remembered, what if he saw that Tuffnut let Nuffink so close to the blood shed. Even worse, what if Hiccup didn't know anything.

Tuff had to hope, or he'd spiral, he knew his reputation in berk was a very very negative one, Ruffnut's slightly better but also very bad, the Thorstons in general had a horrid reputation in berk, so Tuffnut spewing words of the future, riding dragons and lands they'd barely reached, well he'd dig himself a hole. A Bottomless one.

His eyes light up seeing the familiar brown hair, he felt like skipping over, like all his problems were about to vanish. He forgot how Hiccup was during this time, like a toothpick, an overly awkward twig with hair. Tuffnut felt awkward but Hiccup screamed it with the sheepish smile he gave every viking that needed a new weapon.

Hiccup looked genuinely uncomfortable talking to all those people, as Gobber lit the forge for the day. Tuff looked at the future chief, his leader. He outgrew this once, he will again.

"Hiccup!" Tuffnut slid over to the shops window, setting his hands on the wooden surface.

Hiccup looked at him "what do you want?" His tone gave so much bite. Tuffnut forgot how the other teens literally picked on Hiccup for being.. well Hiccup.

"Nothing nothing! I just wanted to know your opinion on something-" Tuffnut quickly replied, what if Hiccup thought no one else remembered, Hiccup had to know, he had too.

"And that is?"

"Um.. Yak dung tea?"

"Never tried it. Now I have to get back to what I was doing" Hiccup responds.

"Wait! Um.. Dagur!" Tuffnut quickly thought, Hiccup's opinion on Dagur would tell him everything.

"Is this some kind of trick? Y-You never talk to me unless its to make fun of me. What do you need to know that for?"

"No- its not a trick." Tuff paused, Hiccup didn't know anything. Hiccup was defensive, and cautious of Tuffnut. And Tuff felt hurt, it is his fault, hel he never remembered apologizing for being a jerk then. "I'm sorry.. I'll leave you alone"

Hiccup looked taken aback, but didn't stop Tuffnut from leaving. Tuffnut was alone, how was he supposed to do this without his leader? He wishes he was drinking ginger tea with Gothi and telling her his problems. Tuffnut's eyes snap to the elders hut, Gothi had never taken an apprentice until Tuffnut on new berk. He knew things about her no one else did, he could read her writings.

Of course unlike new berk, Gothi's hut wasn't up a steep path. But up hundreds of stairs, and his lazy teen body immediately protested. "This sucks so much, I hate this!"

There were a few vikings repairing the stairs on the way up, Tuffnut stared, heart in his stomach, scared of falling off, he already died once, and tumbling down Gothi's insane stairs wasn't on his to do list.

Reaching the top Gothi was treating her first few patients, he waited, and waited. Respectfully, it was sort of a habit to respect her now, getting hit with her staff enough to humble him during his apprenticeship, so he waited his turn, until he stood infront of his mentor.

Tuffnut felt his stomach in knots again, words wouldn't leave his tongue. It was only him and the old woman, why was he clamming up.

Then Gothi scribbled, 'do you need something?'

"No- well yes.. I do, can we talk. In private.."

Gothi looked surprised but nodded, leading him into her hut, he shouldn't have been shocked it looked nothing like the hut on new berk, all her herbs were sorted differently as well, maybe the system changed over time.

One thing was the same, Gothi, she looked like she always had, the same little old lady, holding a staff that he knew all too well the power she held with it. She was the village Völva and Elder for a reason. He knew a couple runes before because of his mother, but training under Gothi he knew some decent ones, he could set a bone, and make an herbal concoction that did absolutely nothing but make your eyebrows fall off.

She sat expectantly, he realized he was supposed to say something, where did he start? That he died?

"I Died." He said, "This morning but not this morning, it was many many winters in the future!" Hearing himself he immediately face palmed, "I sound crazy"

But she didn't wave him off, she waited, like she did when he messed up many times, so he took a deep breath. And began to explain that he had died, that he had the knowledge of the next decade and more, and that Gothi had mentored him.

She of course asked for proof, and instead of saying it aloud, he wrote her secret in the sand near her spot, in her scribbles.

She stood, grabbing her staff, and started writing. 'If this is true, don't tell me any details. Everything must follow the path laid out'

"Why!? There is so much I neeeeed to tell you" Tuffnut whines, he was so used to babbling on and on to Gothi, mostly because she couldn't tell him to shut up, and she didn't mind his chattering, only thacking him when he made an ill statement or joke.

'This is seiðr of gods, you were sent back to change something, but not everything. Only you can know what is to be'

"How do I know what I'm supposed to do?"

'You'll figure it out'

"How?! I'm me! I'm Tuffnut Thorston! One of the last people trusted with anything and for good reason! Let alone everyone's fate!"

'I clearly trusted you.'

Tuffnut opened his mouth, but words failed, how was he supposed to fix everything, he's not exactly the best person for this, Hiccup or Astrid, Fishlegs. Hel Ruffnut had amazing plans. Maybe even Snotlout was a better choice.

But looking at Gothi, and thinking about what she wrote. He wanted things to be mostly the same, he wanted to have his friends, he wanted them to have the same memories as before, he needed them to understand the jokes and Hiccup's insane idea of the dragonfly.

"So I make sure it follows the same path as before? What do I do about changing what needs to be changed?"

'We'll work on that later, for now its getting dark, I have to prep for the night and you have water duty. So take this time to clear your mind'

Tuff nods, standing, as the little old lady shoos him out, he wanted to bring up more, but the door shut in his face, he sighed, at least she believed him. He still had so many unanswered questions. The only relief was his stomach wasn't threatening to permanently tie itself up and he wasn't tugging his hair out.

Tuffnut turned to leave, the sun setting, up so high without a dragon, on berk, old berk. He missed the sunsets here, it was calming, something he actually needed, he felt so out of place all day. So descending the stairs, he took some deep breaths, and looked out to the sky, he was going to try and fix everything, or at least try his best.

Chapter Text

Of course his immediate reaction to seeing Dragons is utter joy, as the beasts swarm Berk and carry off livestock. A part of him forgot Berk currently hates dragons, and the dragons return the feelings.

That was until huts burned and berk became a battleground, at first he avoided watching the chaos, weaving out of the way. Straying away from bloodshed, something he wouldn't have done here. He honestly couldn't care how odd he must've been acting.

The sound of battle in his ear, the scent of ash, he could feel the heat of the fires, he couldn't look, he wouldn't. His chest felt tight, he stumbled, a small ledge infront of him. He looked up quickly, looking over most of berk from his point of view. Buildings burned, blood was shed, both dragon and man roared with fury.

His chest felt unbearably strangled, a weight bearing down on it, his throat hurt, a hand flew up to his chest. Over his once dying wound, now nothing. The mental image of the man that started the attack on new berk, and the one that killed Tuff himself flashed in his mind.

Tears in his eyes, as he struggled to breathe. He's been in battles before, he's been in this exact battle before, why was he panicking, why was it so hard to breathe.

Standing in the middle of danger, unmoving, struggling to calm himself down. A Deadly Nadder takes notice, dark green scales and sharp eyes, it opens its maw to fire, Tuffnut couldn't move, he didn't want to die, not again.

Before the blast could hit him he was yanked backwards, and off his feet. The back of his fur vest gripped by a large hand.

"Where's your group!?" Came the unmistakable voice from his childhood. Stoick the Vast, held him off the ground like he weighed nothing, Tuffnut just stares, emotions rapidly swirling in his mind, he really wanted to hug Stoick.

Tuffnut looked to the Nadder, the poor dragon, two vikings flanked it, and he couldn't watch as one raised his axe in the dragons blind spot.

The Chief looked around, gaining Tuffnut's attention and pointing at the other teens, and tossing the boy in their direction. Tuff stumbled and started quickly walking over, Hiccup pasted him, followed by a viking telling Hiccup to go inside.

Ruffnut took notice of her brother, "where have you been?" She grumbled.

"Yeah we've been putting out fires without you!" Snotlout spoke.

Tuffnut didn't really have an answer, shrugging, Ruffnut grumbled, he was going to have to talk with her later. But right now he didn't have a bucket, he remembers not having a bucket then either, Ruffnut knew immediately what he was thinking.

"Get your own bucket."

"I don't have one" he whined.

Astrid pinched her nose, refilling her bucket from the water barrel, "lets just go put out some fires"

Of course as soon as she said that she was already moving, Snotlout close behind. Tuffnut and Ruffnut both had a grip on the same bucket, Tuffnut felt a bit stubborn, and he missed fighting with her over everything. Fishlegs was nervously clutching his bucket.

As Astrid doused a fire, Tuffnut noticed Hiccup in the forge. And in his momentary distraction Ruffnut sought payback, letting the bucket go as he pulled without paying attention. Getting absolutely drenched in cold water, Tuffnut jumped in surprise, and Snotlout snickers earning a glare from Tuff.

Tuffnut had no words, he felt silly. He was going to get her back, but right now he was shaking his arms to lose moisture. "Fine keep the bucket" he grumbles, Ruffnut grins in victory.

"The water is for the fires." Astrid gave the three an unamused look.

Returning to the water barrel Tuffnut managed to find a bucket, well Fishlegs actually found it and gave it to him, passing the forge again Tuffnut overheard  Hiccup and Gobber speaking.

"-keeping this much raw vikingness contained!"

"I'll take my chances."

He snorted, he never heard that before, he wished he paid more attention to things happening around him, he used to be absorbed in wanting to kill a dragon then, wanting to look cool. They all were.

Tossing his water on the same Fire as Ruff, and then freezing. Everyone froze really, when the sound of whistling over berk appeared, everyone looked to the sky, Tuffnut knew what to look for, Toothless was unmistakable, and the night fury blowing up a tower like nothing and zipping by.

Destruction by Night Fury, he really wanted to see that again. And following that marvelous display, he spots Hiccup barreling off some contraptions. And Tuffnut with his bucket refilled, acting like he's going to douse a fire, sneaks off to follow.

Hiding out of sight, holding the bucket, watching as Hiccup plows through multiple people, well sort of just giving them a second to jump out of the way. Tuff followed Hiccup to a dark spot, much to his surprise Hiccup pops open the wheeled thing, and a catapult pops up, a bola loaded.

Hiccup for a moment watches the sky for movement, all is slient. And that whistling returns, Tuffnut gets his wish, Toothless blew up another tower. Hiccup fires the bola, flying back, but hitting his target with impressive aim, Tuffnut heard Toothless cry out, and it hurt his heart.

"Oh I hit it.. YES! I Hit it! Did anybody see that!" Hiccup cheered.

And with comedic timing, Hookfang crawls out of nowhere. Growling at Hiccup.

"Except for you."

Tuffnut then watched his brave leader run, screaming. He decided now was the best time to return to his group, because he knows what happens next.

Of course they don't even notice him slipping back, too busy watching the show. Stoick was literally fist fighting a dragon, and won. Before the pole Hiccup was hiding behind snapped and the lit fire atop rolls off, crushing huts as it goes. Hiccup cringing as it went.

"Sorry.. dad" Hiccup spoke.

The Nadders Stoick had captured earlier flying off with livestock.

"Okay but I hit a Night Fury."

Stoick wordlessly picks Hiccup up.

"Uh its not like the last few times dad! I really actually hit it, you guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off raven point lets get a search party out there before-"

"Stop! Just.. stop. Everytime you step outside disaster falls, can you not see that I have bigger problems! Winter is almost here and I have an entire village to feed!" Stoick huffs.

Hiccup eyes the crowd, "between you and me the village could do with alittle less feeding don't you think"

"This isn't a joke Hiccup!" Stoick groans, "why can't you follow the simplest orders."

"I can't stop myself, I see a dragon and I have to just. Kill it. Ya know, its who I am dad"

Tuffnut really hated how deep Hiccup was digging this hole, he was embarrassed for Hiccup.

Stoick literally put his head in his hand "uh yer many things Hiccup but a dragon killer.. get back to the house." Stoick turns to Gobber, "Make sure he gets there, I have his mess to clean up"

Ruffnut cackles beside Tuff, Tuffnut just feels bad. Snotlout speaks up with a smirk "I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped"

"Thank you. thank you. I was trying so..." Hiccup sighs.

Gobber smacks Snotlout as he passes, the boy whines. Before laughing. Tuffnut and the others watch Hiccup and Gobber leave, Tuff tunes out the others mockery, well mostly Snotlout, and Ruffnut occasionally.

He'll come up with a reason he wasn't acting "normal" because Ruffnut will want to know why he left her alone all day, for now he wanted to keep an eye on Hiccup, see when he'll go to find Toothless.

Because as much as he wanted to just sleep right now, Tuffnut really wanted to see Toothless.

Chapter Text

It was pretty easy to ditch the group, each of them distracted by Snotlout's recounting of the disastrous night. The teen filling in what he didn't know with anything but the true events. Tuffnut heard it before, and wasn't keen on hearing it again.

Slipping past the older Vikings as they prepared to repair damaged and destroyed huts, following the mostly dragon charred path, Tuff's feet knew where to go just thinking of the chief's hut, ingrained in his mind permanently, maybe from his mother bringing Ruff and Tuff down to apologize for causing problems, or Ruff and Tuff wandering over to watch Stoick do his chiefly duties.

Of course he did have to hide to avoid Gobber as he passed, the man deep in thought. Most likely on his way to the great hall. Tuff in his hiding spot manages to spot Hiccup running into the woods, a knowing grin spreads across his features. He heard the story from Hiccup, but this is his chance to see it. With his own eyes.

Staying a good distance from Hiccup, Tuff hid behind trees and logs, careful of any twigs or loose rock. Hiccup who was crossing another spot in his book. Before scribbling over both pages, sticking the charcoal pencil in it and shutting it. Hiccup sighs, putting the journal away in his fur vest.

"Oh the gods hate me.. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an entire Dragon!" Hiccup rants, before slapping a bent branch out of his way. And it slaps him right back, in the face.

Tuffnut slapped a hand over his own mouth, he would've laughed at anyone if that happened to them, even himself, actually especially himself. He understands why Hiccup only shared so much. He refocuses on the task at hand, watching Hiccup follow a trail of destruction downhill, it made Tuffnut think how much the fall hurt Toothless. He knows its this fall that caused the dragons need for a new tail fin. But from the looks of all the damage, it could've been worse.

Tuffnut nearly leaps out of his skin when he hears Hiccup gasp so loud, and duck behind a dirt mound. He watches the future chief slowly peek over, before standing. Hiccup grabs a knife from his vest, and nearly drops it immediately, breathing hard, he slides down the mound of dirt toward The prone form of Toothless. huddling behind a rock, Hiccup stands.

"Oh. Wow I did it. Ohh I did it. This.. This fixes everything Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!" Hiccup cheers, before setting a foot on Toothless. To which Toothless stirs, shifting his body and letting out a pained bellow.

Hiccup jumps back in fear, before realizing the night fury isn't moving. Slowly approaching with his knife. Hiccup looks over the dark scales, before noticing the eyes open, slit pupils staring him down.

Tuffnut finds the whole scene unreal, never could he have imagined either being enemies, Toothless and Hiccup, they shared a bond better then most, even when Toothless left they understood one another. So seeing it, the story how Hiccup changed everything, made his heart hurt, he wished he could speed up time, and make everything easier. Toothless rumbles, still staring at Hiccup, watching his every move.

Hiccup exhales "I'm going to kill you, dragon. I'm gonna.. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I am a Viking. I Am A Viking!"

The boy trying to psych himself up, holding the knife toward the dragon, before raising it up over his head, closing his eyes. And stopping he reopens his eyes, looking down at the night fury. Whos still staring, Toothless's eyes widen a bit as their eyes meet, and the knife raises higher. Both closing their eyes, Toothless relaxes, ready to die. Letting out a small cry.

And then the arms holding the knife go lax, wrapping over his own head as he realizes he can't kill this dragon. Hiccup looks at the knife, then back to the night fury before him, to rope around the dragon.

"I did this.." he turns to walk away, stopping.

Tuffnut watches him, as he starts cutting the rope, Toothless's eyes snap open. As one, two and three of the main supporting ropes are cut. And suddenly the dragon leaps from the forest floor, Hiccup jumps back. Pinned to a rock by the beast. Hiccup and Toothless meet eyes once more, the dragon growling, the human with wide eyes.

Toothless raises his wings, the whistling starting up as he opens his jaws, standing. Toothless slams his claws against the rough dirt, and roaring into Hiccup's ear, an act of mercy, like Hiccup showed him. Toothless leaps around before darting off. And trying to fly, hitting a rockface as he attempts.

Hiccup deflated against the rock in relief, standing momentarily and watching Toothless attempts at flying as the dragon screams in frustration. Before the boy turns to leave and promptly faints. Falling to the ground boneless.

Tuffnut blinks, making note of the area Toothless fled towards, and decides to make his escape before Hiccup wakes and notices him. With so much disturbed land and the scent of a dragon most animals will steer clear so Tuffnut had no problem leaving his leader behind.

Running in whatever direction seemed best before he realized, he followed Hiccup in circles, and he hasn't been in these woods in so long. And that he's definitely lost, he should've stolen Hiccup's map, it had fallen out of his vest when he flopped in the dirt, would've been easy. Too late now, he looked to the sun, and to the tree trunks, looking for moss.

Finally with a good direction Tuff starts heading back to berk, thinking, planning. He needs to get his hands on a journey book, and some good charcoal. Map out a timeline and be prepared, figure out why this is happening, find out who the guy with the ashen hair is, and as long as everything sticks to the same path, everything will be fine.

Tuffnut groans "nothing will be fine! How am I meant to do everything! Its going to go up in flames! on purpose or not.."

He kicks a tree, and takes a breath. Wheres Fishlegs when you need to meditate? Tuff wanted his friends, he wanted his neice, the only person that knew was Gothi and she told him not to tell her anything. To which he didn't, but he sure complained. Alot. Tuff stops, looking forward.

"Its you."

Infront of him was that same dark green nadder that almost got him the night before, curled up against a tree, the dragon opens its eyes, lifting its head it hisses, nursing wounds the Nadder looks like it narrowly escaped, A deep slash on its face, nearly hitting its left eye, the wings raise up to try and scare Tuff, he sees a small rip in the thin membrane on its wing. The Nadder stands quickly, readying to fire, when it whines, falling over. Its foot caught in an iron boar trap.

He doesn't think much of it, they'd freed many dragons when he was a rider, of course the Nadder hisses and threatens to blast him, or shoot him with its spines, Tuff approaches cautiously, slowly raising his arms, the dragon watches him, as he pulls the pin on the trap, it falls open, and the dragon immediately takes off, Tuffnut smiles, he did miss freeing dragons from trappers and hunters, something nice about helping them that he grew to miss when he got older.

Making his way back home, avoiding debris and smoldering wood on the street path, eventually sneaking into his parents hut. Tired. With Ruffnut definitely already passed out in her own bed and his parents at the great hall, he could just slip into his bed and sleep, so thats what he did. Thinking about seeing Barf and Belch, Stormfly, Meatlug and Hookfang again.

Chapter Text

"Welcome to Dragon training!" Gobber opened the gate, letting them look around for a moment.

"No turning back." Astrid spoke.

They look around in awe, Tuffnut on the other hand was having a nostalgic moment, seeing every little detail, and mostly the gates that held Them. He'd give anything to see Barf and Belch again.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back" Ruffnut says.

"Yeah, its only fun if you get a scar out of it." Astrid replied light hearted.

"Yeah, No kidding, Right? Pain. Love it." Hiccup's voice pops up, the others turn.

Tuffnut smiles, he couldn't wait to see Hiccup slowly progress, he was excited, and ready to see the change. And of course the Dragons.

"Let's get started! The Recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon infront of the entire village." Gobber announced.

"Hiccup already killed a night fury soo does that disqualify him or..?" Snotlout spoke, Ruffnut laughing, before the group turned away from Hiccp and Gobber.

"Don't worry, You're small and weak.. that'll make you less of a target." Gobber told Hiccup, "they'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking like teens instead"

Gobber pats his shoulder, a slight chuckle. Before turning to the group. "Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight! The Deadly Nadder!"

"Speed 8, Armor 16" Fishlegs recited.

"The Hideous Zippleback!"

"Plus 11 Stealth. Times 2"

"The Monstrous Nightmare!"

"Firepower 15."

"The Terrible Terror."

"Attack 8, Venom 12-"

"Can You Stop That! And The Gronkle." Gobber grabs the lever.

"Jaw Strength 8." Fishlegs whispers.

"Whoa! Whoa! Wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first?" Snotlout panics, being the first to realize Gobber is about to let the Gronkle loose, Tuff did have to admit Snotlout was quick to process Gobber's intentions.

"I believe on learning on the Job." Gobber pushes the lever down, the door rises, Tuffnut is already headed for a shield, and of course he spots the skulls on fire shield, and he wants it, something about the skulls and the craftsmanship. But he wants it. Same one he wanted last time.

"Today is about Survival. If you get blasted.. You're dead! Quick! Whats the first thing you're going to need?"

"A Docter?"

"Plus 5 speed?"

"A Shield." Astrid put.

"Shields. Go!"

The others grabbed whatever shield they found.

"Your most important peice if equipment is your shield! If you must choose between a sword or a shield, take the shield"

Tuffnut had a shield, but immediately Ruffnut also wanted the shield, he wrestled her for the shield. Again.

"There are a million shields! Find another!"

"No I want this one!"

"Take that one-" Tuffnut pauses, alarms going off in his mind, and just lets the shield go, both falling back as Meatlug's blast sails past them, he lets her have the Shield, grabbing the one with a flower.

"Woah!" Ruffnut looks at the blast on the ground.

"Nice going Twins!"

It was odd to hear praise, Ruffnut grinned ear to ear, Tuffnut felt at odds, because he knew things were different, Ruffnut and him fought over the shield and Meatlug hit  the shield, both were out then.

"Those shields are good for another thing! Noise make lots of it!" Gobber spoke, immediately followed by the six teens hitting their shields repeatedly, Meatlug is disoriented. Tuffnut will definitely apologize later on with some nice granite.

"All Dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a gronkle have?" Gobber quizzed.

"Five?" Snotlout guesses.

"No, Six!" Fishlegs raises his hand and shield high.

"Correct, six! That's one for each of you!" Gobber spoke just as Meatlug hit Fishlegs shield. "Fishlegs, Out!"

Fishlegs without a shield runs, shouting. And hides.

"Hiccup, Get in there!" Gobber calls. As Meatlug flys past.

Ruffnut sticks to Tuffnut who keeps moving, passing Snotlout who won't leave Astrid alone.

"So anyway. I moved into my parents' basement. You should come by sometime and work out. You look like you work out. Aah!" Snotlout shouts as his shield is destroyed in his hand, Astrid leapt away.

"Snotlout! You're done!"

Ruffnut not looking ahead bumps into Hiccup who was also watching Meatlug as she flew around, Tuffnut didn't realize he lost his tail until she started complaining about Hiccup watching where he goes before Meatlug takes her out, Tuffnut was disappointed that shield was destroyed again, he wanted to nab it if it survived.

"Ruffnut You're out!"

Ruffnut stomped off, Tuffnut shrugged as she sent him a look. Yeah he should have a talk with her later.

Astrid stands in the Center of the arena, Tuffnut knows not to stand next to her right now, her current goals are to be the best, not a team player. Keeping to moving in an unpredictable pattern himself, jumping back and darting forward before rolling to the side. Hiccup on the other hand stands beside Astrid.

He doesn't quite catch what Hiccup says, only that Meatlug was headed straight for them. Astrid rolls past Hiccup leaving him to take the hit, Tuffnut stops, cringing. Luckily Hiccup's shield didn't break, it Rolls away, Hiccup chases after it.

"One shot left!" Gobber spoke.

Meatlug targets Hiccup whose running in a straight line, Tuffnut realizes its different, instead of Hiccup being closer to Gobber, the slight change in the lesson from the twins not being out first, and Astrid not standing closer to a wall has Hiccup chasing the shield in a slightly different direction.

"Hiccup!" Gobber shouts, realizing Hiccup is in Danger.

Hiccup does now too, running to a wall and falling back, facing the gronkle. Gobber starts running, as Meatlug pins Hiccup, preparing to fire. Gobber isn't going to make it. Tuffnut is genuinely scared for Hiccup's life.

Banging, Meatlug gets disoriented, Tuff hits his spear to his shield right next to her, knowing she'll probably have a horrible headache, but he couldn't think faster then this. He'll bring her alots of her all time favorite granite later. But for now keeping Hiccup alive is his goal. Gobber hooks Meatlugs tooth, and Tuffnut stops his racket, but she still has a blast left. And Tuffnut was just in her ear making her dizzy.

His pretty flower shield shatters into pieces, the handle almost burnt his palm he had to let go. He was out but still.

"And thats six. Go back to bed, you overgrown sausage!" Gobber drags Meatlug, before spinning her toward her cage and tosses her in. Grabbing the lever and sealing it.

"You'll get another chance. Don't you worry" Gobber tells the dragon as he seals the door.

Gobber looks at the teens, walking over, "Remember, A dragon will always, always go for the kill." Gobber finishes looking directly at Hiccup.

"And Tuffnut! Good job! Quick thinking like that will save you and others around you!"

Tuffnut hasn't been praised so much in such short time before, and to have earned the praise too, it makes him feel giddy inside, and alittle embarrassed. Astrid's eyes threatening to burn a hole in his head, he forgot how scary she was before.

He turns to Ruff, he can't tell what she's thinking, he needs to fix that. "Hey, wanna go wrestle some boars?"

He has her attention, "of course, I'm going to win like always." She grins.

"Oh you're on!" Tuffnut returns the grin.

Chapter Text

The sun is dipping low, sky tinted pink, even as grey storm clouds roll in.

"Told you I'd win" Ruffnut grins.

Tuffnut wipes off his face with his wrist, "not fair, I fell face first into the mud"

"Wouldn't have if you kept a good grip bro, Bjorn boar is tricky remember"

She was right Bjorn boar was hard to get in the pen, and even harder to hold onto.

"You're right sis, think I got carried away" he smiles.

"Woah, whats gotten into you? Wheres the 'Its not my fault' or 'I had it I got distracted' seriously freaking me out" Ruffnut stares.

"Nothing. Just, I didn't have a good grip, and Bjorn bucked hard so I fell."

"Still. Freaky. You've been off these past couple days actually bro.."

Tuffnut wanted to tell her everything, he'd give everything to have her understand him completely once more, he missed so much, he missed his sister.

"I- I have a Feeling.. Ruff. Like when Uncle Fenris went missing, or when you had a feeling the hut was about to be hit by dragon fire.. I have a feeling things are going to change soon"

"You have a feeling. Okay, I know what you're saying bro. I trust you, also what you did in the arena was pretty cool keep doing that and you'll out do Astrid" Ruffnut grins.

"Did you see the look she gave me."

"She wanted to kill you."

Tuffnut smiles, sitting next to her, its nice. For a moment, before the rain starts. Ruffnut stands first, tossing him his helmet. "Lets go eat something and get out of the rain"

Its not a short walk to the great hall. Thats why they raced, pulling the other back to get closer to the doors, rough housing, Ruffnut pounces on his back, taking his helmet off to give him a noogie, he stumbles through the doors of the great hall. Playfully pushing her when she jumps off.

They sit at the table Fishlegs and Astrid are already at, Snotlout joining as well. A nice quiet for a moment, Tuffnut takes his fill, before Gobber appears to quiz them.

"Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring Today?" Gobber asks, Tuffnut spots Hiccup, soaked to the bone, closing the door to the great hall.

"I mistimed my somersault dive. It was sloppy" Astrid speaks. "It threw off my reverse tumble"

"Yeah, we noticed" Ruffnut Teased.

"No, no, you were great. That was so 'Astrid'" Snotlout defended.

"She's right. You have to be tough on yourselves." Gobber stated, seeing Hiccup. "Where did Hiccup go wrong?"

"Uh, he showed up." Ruff spoke.

"He's never where he should be." Astrid put.

"Thank you, Astrid." Gobber Began,  he looks to Hiccup "you need to live and breathe this stuff. The dragon manual." The book set onto the table. "Everything we know about every dragon we know of."

Hiccup watching from thenother table, thunder crashes loudly outside the great hall, Gobber looks up,  "no attacks tonight. Study up"

Tuffnut doesn't say anything because he wants to actually look into the manual this time.

"Read? While we're still alive?" Ruffnut speaks.

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout slammed his fist on the table.

"Oh, I've read it, like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And theres this other one that burys itself in the ground and-" Fishlegs rambled before being cut off.

"You guys read. I'll go kill stuff." Snotlout speaks up, standing up from the table.

"Yeah. I was gonna read it. But now.." Ruffnut stands as well, to follow Snotlout, she looks to Tuffnut.

He shrugs "I'll catch up later"

She nods and starts to leave, Fishlegs follows her continuing to talk about dragon facts, leaving Astrid, Hiccup and Tuffnut. Hiccup approaches the table, looking to Astrid, "so I guess we'll share?"

"Read it." Astrid stands, pushing the book toward Hiccup. Leaving.

"Uh Wow.. Ok, I'll see you, uh.. tomorrow" Hiccup mumbles, the door slams.

"I'll share with you H" Tuff slides over.

"Oh, really? I wasn't expecting you to want to read"

"Ouch. Nah I'm just intrested in ways dragons can kill people" Tuff shrugs, its a believable thing from him.

"Ah okay. um I never said Thank you.. for saving me.. in the arena" Hiccup says.

"No problem H!" Tuff smiles.

Hiccup opens the book, sitting down at the table, and giving Tuffnut space to sit closer, which he does. "Any dragon you want to know about specifically?" Hiccup asks.

"Not really, kinda wondering if anyone has seen a night fury" Tuffnut puts, knowing the no one has in berk, besides Hiccup. To which Hiccup looks at him, "ya know because that last attack, it blew up entire towers like nothing thats pretty cool" Tuffnut gives a small smile.

"Yeah. Cool" Hiccup shrugs, and starts to read. "Dragon classifications, Strike class, Fear class, Mystery class.."

Tuff watches him turn the pages, "Thunderdrum, this reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight."

Tuffnut doesn't say anything as Hiccup reads them off, watching and listening at he reads off about the Timberjack, the Scaldron, Changewing. Before Hiccup shifts through the pages listing off dragons quickly, even the Skrill surprisingly.

Until Hiccup lands on an empty page titled Night Fury,  "Night fury. Speed unknown, size unknown, the unholy offspring of lighting and death itself.. never engage this dragon. Your only chance, Hide and pray it does not find you.."

"Dang, theres not even details or anything, Ya know I heard from an uncle of mine that a Night fury ate his rabbits, and a barrel of mackerel. But nothing else, so maybe Night furies like mackerel and rabbits." Tuffnut adds, telling Hiccup what Toothless likes.

"Mackerel and Rabbits?"

"Yeah cool right? But who knows that uncle of mine could be lying."

"Is this really all we have on Night furies?"

"Um. I think yeah Gobber said it was everything we know" Tuffnut shrugs

"Could we have another book? Or something"

"Ask Gobber, he'll know"

"Tuffnut why are you being nice to me? like you didn't have to save me from that dragon but you did, and actually you haven't made fun of me for days"

Tuffnut was caught off guard, sputtering because he took a sip from his cup. Tuff coughs, and wipes his mouth. Taking a breath. "I don't know, I mean I know. I never actually hated you or disliked you ya know? Ruff and me actually wanted to be your friends when we were small, but you're the chief's son, and we're Thorstons. Ruffnut said I wanted to be everyone's friend, but nobody trusted us, because of our name. But everyone, adults and other kids. Talked ill and made fun of you, and I guess to fit in, we started to as well.. I'm sorry though, I don't really want to fit in anymore" Tuffnut looks at the table, he feels very awkward.

"I.. I'd want to fit in too, I'm glad you don't want to anymore"

Its a comfortable silence for a moment, Tuff reads on Zipplebacks and Nadders, he knows Stormfly is the next to train with, and he could do with a bit more knowledge on Nadders anyway, and Zipplebacks. None of its useful, stuff he already knew.

"Well Anyway H, I'm going to head home leave you to study up. See you in the arena in the morning!" Tuffnut yawns stretching. Standing from the bench, he takes his leave, looking back at Hiccup momentarily as the other boy pulls out his journal

---☆---

And he does see Hiccup in the arena the next morning, all six teens staring at the maze Gobber set up, Tuffnut never questioned how long this took to set up before, did Gobber even sleep? He wouldn't doubt it.

"Hurry up get in there! Spread out and Grab your shields!"

They thin out in the maze, anticipating the sound of the gate opening. Gobber getting above the arena and pulling a rope attached to a lever on the gate. With a gust, Stormfly is loose. Five of them ready to defend, Hiccup on the other hand stands right under Gobber sights.

"Hey, you know. I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night furies. Is there, like, another book, or a sequel? Maybe alittle Night fury pamphlet?" Hiccup asks, before Stormfly shoots the wall next to him "Whoa!"

"Focus, Hiccup!" Gobber calls "you're not even Trying!"

Stormfly snaps at the teen, who runs, sliding to the right before deciding to go left.

"Today it's all about Attack! Nadders are quick and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter!"

Fishlegs yells as Stormfly shoots her spines at him, narrowly missing being hit by putting his shield out infront of him. Continuing to run. "I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods!"

"Look for its blind spot! every dragon has one. Find it, Hide in it and Strike!"

Fishlegs takes a sharp turn, the Twins turn toward the same path he just left, running into Stormfly, Stumbling a bit, Tuffnut and Ruffnut squish together to stay in her blind spot, its weird how much Tuffnut remembers this exact same thing happening, down to Ruffnut smelling his hair, and gagging.

"Do you ever bathe?" She complains.

Tuffnut feels a bit embarrassed, he didn't mind it then, because he didn't care so much then, he was a stupid teenager that wanted to be a dragon killer, now that he's lived and died and came back, he knows how important hygiene can be, especially with Gothi demanding he didn't stink up her hut. That stick she wields can get mountains moved.

"I forgot to wash up okay. Just deal with it for now"

"Fine, I'll try"

Stormfly tries to maneuver to see them, Tuffnut pulls Ruffnut around the corner at the right moment, and they sprint away.

"Good for finding the blind spot! Wasted the chance to strike the Nadder!" Gobber spoke.

Hiccup gets back under Gobber's view, "hey.. So how would one sneak up on a Night fury?"

"No ones ever met one and lived to tell the tale. Now Get in There!"

"I know, I know but Hypothetically.."

Astrid staring at Hiccup as she hunkers down, as he's behind her and Snotlout practically giving away their position. "Hiccup!" She whispers, "get down."

Stormfly immediately scans over the area, Hiccup huddling behind Snotlout, before Astrid tuck and rolls, Snotlout following. Hiccup attempts but a skinny kid with no training prior can only do so much. His shield hits the stone ground, clattering, his roll stopped by the weight of the shield.

Stormfly immediately gives chase, to which Hiccup screams and runs, Stormfly hops over the maze walls to keep view of Hiccup, jumping down as he turns, right in front of Astrid and Snotlout. Astrid raises her shield, aiming for Stormfly.

Snotlout gets in her way, "Watch out, babe. I'll take care of this." He chucks his mace at the Nadder, it bounces off the wall like nothing. And Stormfly immediately targets them, Astrid glares at Snotlout, and Snotlout stands sheepishly. Before turning to her.

"The sun was in my eyes, Astrid." There was no sunlight in the maze. Stormfly fires at them, Astrid taking off before Snotlout can yelp, Snotlout following narrowly having the fur on his back singed. "What do you want me to do. Block out the sun? I could do that but I don't have time!"

"They probably.. take the daytime off, Right? Like a cat. Has anyone ever seen one napping?" Hiccup is back to standing under Gobber's sights, as Stormfly wrecks the maze, and the others run around in the chaos.

"Hiccup!" Gobber snaps, then points as the maze walls fall in Hiccup's direction, Astrid jumping from wall to wall as they fall, with a yell. Hiccup doesn't move, the wall directly infront of him falling in his direction, Astrid too.

"Hiccup!" She shouts, falling on him as he stands there. Her axe lodged in his shield, Hiccup just stays Ridged on the ground, staring at her as she tries to free her axe.

"Ooh! love on the battlefield" Tuff teases, grinning, sure its exactly what he said then, but knowing the two end up together, well its nice to tease them still.

"She could do better." Ruffnut says.

Astrid is struggling, Hiccup won't let go of his shield, and her axe is clear through it, she stands frustrated, and Stormfly breaks a wall and spots them, so she steps on his chest and yanks on the axe, eventually his arm slips out of the handle, and both Shield and Axe are now hers, Stormfly running right at them, she breaks the shield on Stormfly. Tuffnut cringes as Stormfly yelps in pain and cowers away. He'll bring her chicken as a treat later.

"Well Done Astrid!"

Astrid still quite peeved, turns to Hiccup, who is curled up on the floor, "Is this some kind of a joke to you!?" She breathes, "Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which Side you're on."

Tuffnut watches Astrid stomp off, the others following her as Gobber puts Stormfly up. Tuffnut offers Hiccup a hand off the ground, "don't let her get to you, I know you only want to help H"

"I just wish.." Hiccup huffs, taking the hand. And standing, "I don't know.."

"I get it, I'm going to catch up with my sister, see you around!" Tuffnut smiles back and heads out to Follow Ruffnut.

Tuffnut knows Hiccup is going to see Toothless, the less time he takes from Hiccup the more Hiccup gets to plan his next visit to the Night fury.

He can't wait to see them shine again.

Chapter Text

Even with knowledge of the future, Tuffnut couldn't predict everything, How was he supposed to stop things from happening, or fix things, if doing something different or not doing something changes things?

It made him want to pull his hair out, and tugging on his hair was easy, especially when his hands weren't busy. And Ruffnut was taking a nap after the early morning arena lesson, Tuffnut couldn't sleep. How could he, he had no idea how to stop the fiery death he experienced, and not only that but he doesn't remember everything thats supposed to happen how his he supposed to keep it on track.

Tuff was carving runes into a wooden beam, he'd already read over his mother's recipes. Gothi was busy so he couldn't bug her, and he wasn't good enough friends with the others yet so he can't bother them. Waking Ruffnut isn't an option, so he'll practice his runes. Until he grows bored.

Tuffnut slips out opting for a walk, the village quiet, its actually nice. His home. The Berk. Quiet, calm, just like he remembered, he spent so many days thinking of this place, alone in his very own hut, dull, quiet and lonely. Thinking of the vibrant old Berk, the people he missed, the sky and huts along the sloped island. The great hall. Maybe that was what he missed the most, vividly remembering his friends just existing in the Great hall.

He dreams of dragons. To him its silly to think about, as a boy all he could think about was dragons, powerful ones, small ones, any dragon that would shoot fire and crush buildings, he used to dream of fighting dragons. Earning scars from claws and flames. But then becoming a dragon rider, as a Teen, he had dreams of gorgeous flames and glittering scales, a new light on old ideals, no longer could he think of harming a dragon, but fighting with them, wanting to earn scars from shared pain, from arrows of hunters and swords of equal foes. And then he lost them, then grown, his dreams filled with dying hopes of dragons, hopes that they'd return, hopes that he could see shining scales once more, smoking breath, that he could have a chance to earn scars once more, beside his dragon friends.

He has a chance, to fly once more. And he isn't letting it go. But for now, seeing them again was the least he'd take.

Chicken and Mutton were easy to acquire, he did get an odd look asking for granite but still got his hands on it. His satchel heavy from the rock, he nabs a basket of mackerel and tosses a couple normal looking rocks in too, the strap was sent from the gods themselves because he could lug it around to the best of his abilities. He thought for a moment, before remembering what Hookfang likes, returning to the guy that gave him the Chicken, and asking for a rat, sure he got it but now he's sure he'll have a reputation for eating rats, something he'll probably have to talk to the others later on about. not being the rat man. Or maybe he'll revel in it. It was for a dragon after all.

Sneaking into the arena seeing the destruction was almost cleaned up, but Gobber definitely was taking a break. Perfect timing. Tuffnut slips around the ring, stopping to look at the cages, really just stone stalls with gates. Unable to actually feed them in person, he wishes he could, but risking everything isn't a great idea.

Starting on Hookfang's stall, there's a small metal door, round and big enough you can dump a basket of fish into, Tuffnut wonders what they are fed, is it good fish? Or near rotting? The dragons only fed and kept alive to train new Vikings to kill other dragons, or even them. How close they came to being killed, how scared and alone they must be. Separated and locked in the dark.

Tuffnut carefully unlatches it, he could peer inside, glowing yellow eyes reflecting little light, slit pupils, and a growl. Tuff hates this, Hookfang has no warmth, and it hurts. Tossing a couple fish in, followed by the rat. That intense gaze flicks to the food, fresh, clean, not tampered with. The dragon sniffs it warily, taking a fish in those powerful jaws, and Hookfang devours it, immediately consuming all of them. Hookfang saves the rat for last, churning a bit at his favorite treat.

Tuff smiles, waiting for the dragon to settle before closing the latch once more, knowing he's the one putting Hooky back in the dark hurts. Thats why he'll be back, everytime he shuts this latch, all of them, these dragons deserve more. And when their finally out he'll give them alot more then a small treat, maybe buckets full of their favorites.

Opening Stormfly's latch he probably should've been more cautious of a Deadly nadder, a spine flys out as it opens, the force of it stabbing into the basket he's holding almost sends him back, Tuffnut blinks, looking at the spine that only stopped thanks to the rocks he put in the basket for Meatlug, he let out a breath, deflating a bit. He forgot how precise Stormfly was, or is. Tossing a couple mackerel in followed by the chicken, blue zips past the opening, and the chicken is gone. A small trill from the nadder is heard, before she snatches the fish too. As soon as the food is gone her spines pop back up, and Tuffnut immediately shuts the latch, not without one hitting it and falling to the stone surface at his feet. He picks it up and places it in the basket.

Tuffnut didn't forget the terrible terror, chucking a fish in before it can jump out and attack his face, he wants to avoid that.

Meatlug was sitting right at the latch as he opened it, big eyes waiting for her food, in the moment he wanted to spoil her, pamper her, he understands Fishlegs even more now. Making himself almost cry because Meatlug is so precious, and she is locked away like this and not being pampered by Fishleg. a crime. Luckily Meatlug gets what she wants, Tuffnut daring to reach his hand in instead of tossing it in, gently letting it go, he brought more rocks then he remembers grabbing but hearing her happy chittering as she eats is worth it.

And finally. Them. Barf and Belch, he desperately wants to see them, missing them so dearly. He presses his hand to the giant door, taking a breath. Opening the latch spotting two pairs of eyes, eyes he saw everyday for years. How he could recognize them from many, looking at the small bit of mutton and despite getting two, isn't enough. The eyes curious, as he carefully tosses them the mackerel, followed by the mutton, Barf swipes a piece of the mutton as Belch sniffs the food, followed by Belch quickly eating the second piece. They make a chirrup and rattle, Tuffnut watches for a moment before reluctantly sealing the latch once more, standing there. He rests his forehead against the iron gate.

"What are you doing lad?"

For the second time in such a short time span Tuff jumps, he could swear the gods were trying to give him a heart attack, facing Gobber with his heart beating a million beats per second.

"Oh I was just.. ya know trying to look at the awesome fire breathing dragons" Tuffnut shrugs.

"Well good thing I got here when I did or you'd be dragon food by now"

"Thats.. so cool, could probably get some gnarly scars right?"

"Of course you would! Or you'd be dead!"

"Sooo. When do you feed these guys?" Tuffnut asks.

"Sometime in the afternoon. Why?"

"Was just wondering ya know, maybe I could help, feed them so you have less work with everyone else being gone and all"

"Actually. Thats not a bad idea, you could learn some things about these beasts, and as you said, less work for me. Alright lad, come by tomorrow after training I'll tell ya what to do!"

"Great! Can't wait"

"Now shoo, I have to clean up this mess"

Tuff grabs his basket and leaves, returning to his parents hut with the damaged basket and the two spines from Stormfly. Setting it on the floor, he could celebrate, getting away like he did, and having more chances. He wonders how Hiccup is doing, or if Toothless trusts Hiccup yet.

Ruffnut barges into his room, yawning, "you're louder than a yak"

"Am I? Didn't notice" He chuckles.

"Yeah well I'm up now." She grumbles, flopping into his bed of furs.

"Its starting to get dark anyway" Tuff tells her.

"Whatever, lets just go" she grumbles more.

Astrid was surprisingly there before even Gobber, with her axe, like always. Looking at them before continuing to stare at the village, Tuffnut likes Astrid. Well this Astrid scares him, Astrid after she and Stormfly bond, thats the Astrid that, sure is strict and mean sometimes, but shes loyal, and kind, and offers amazing advice, so he'll take hypercompetitive and anti social Astrid with the greatest chieftess berk has ever known.

"Oh great its Astrid." Ruffnut huffs, sitting down.

Tuffnut sits next to his twin, how does he address Astrid, he's so used to talking to her, that it feels crazy not to, out of everyone she made the most effort to check on everyone, everyday, he could tell her anything, she'd judge, but that was the best part of talking to her, knowing her, she'd scold him or laugh, things he didn't even tell Ruffnut he'd tell Astrid. And now, that amazing friendship was gone.

Gobber's peg leg tapping against the wood floors as he walks alerts them, Snotlout following the man, perking up as he spots Astrid. Tuffnut stands immediately and pulls Snotlout inbetween him and Ruffnut.

"Hey! woah!" Snotlout flails.

"It'd be so cool if you sat here" Tuffnut smirks.

Ruffnut looks at him, and shrugs, "yeah Snotlout, you're so cool.

"I am cool aren't I" Snotlout nods.

Fishlegs shows up, and Gobber starts the fire, Hiccup shows up as the sun fades. Each of them getting something to eat, he remembers everyone got chicken but Hiccup last time. This time Tuff won't be eating chicken, even if he hasn't met his pet Chicken yet this time, the oath he holds is still true, so Fish it is.

Gobber starts to tell a story, a battle, its mostly of Stoick, but slowly devolves into him losing his hand.

"And with one twist, he took my hand and swallowed it whole! And I saw the look on his face... I was Delicious. He must've passed the word. Because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg."

"Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon? Like if your mind was still in control of it, you could've killed the dragon from the inside by crushing his heart or something." Fishlegs rambles, earning a look from a few, including Astrid.

"I swear I'm so angry right now. I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight, With my face." Snotlout declares.

"Mm-mmm, no. It's the wings and tails you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon." Gobber yawns. "All right, I'm off to bed. You should be, too. Tomorrow we get to the big boys, slowly but surely making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare. But who will win the honor of killing it?"

Tuffnut had watched Hiccup slip away, Astrid taking notice of the absence. Tuffnut grins, he couldn't wait.

Chapter Text

"Today is about teamwork."

The doors to Barf and Belches gate explodes open. Smoke spreading over the arena. Tuff grinned, he loved this flashy display of fire and smoke, he loved how tricky Barf and Belch could be, a smoke screen, thats definitely something he'll have to remember.

"Now, a wet dragon head can't light its fire. The Hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, the other head lights it. Your job is to know which." Gobber explains.

Tuffnut is paired with Snotlout, but he can still hear the others, Shuffling and Fishlegs muttering about Razor sharp serrated teeth, venom and ambushing. Before Hiccup loudly whispers for him to Stop it.

"If this dragon Shows either of his faces, I'm gonna..." Snotlout begins, trailing off, before pointing and shouting "There!" Readying to toss his water at the shadow, Tuff registers Ruff's helmet horns and grabs the edge of Snotlout's bucket, "hey, what are you doing!?" Snotlout looks at him, "the dragon!"

"Its not, thats my sisters helmet."

"Oh"

Tuffnut lets the bucket go, before Snotlout sees movement next to Ruffnut's shadow and tosses his water anyway. And then two surprised shouts.

"Hey, its us, idiots!" Ruffnut glares as the smoke parts.

"Not My fault! He thought you two were a dragon"

"Hey!" Snotlout shouts, eyes shifting back to Astrid seeing shes upset, "I mean not that theres anything wrong with a dragonesque figure- Ow!" Astrid clocks him.

Right behind Astrid's mighty fist, Ruffnut's bucket flys past her, Tuffnut's face the target, he flys back landing on the ground.
"Ow! What was that for!" Tuffnut grumbles.

Tuffnut sits up to look at Ruff, a mental alarm in his mind going off, he knows whats about to happen, he starts to roll out of the way, but still too late, one of two heads catches his pant leg and drags him back, Tuffnut of course panics and shouts in surprise. He's pulled off the ground, in front of curious eyes, Tuffnut isn't scared of them, he knows right now they are hungry and feral. But he still reaches his hand out, to feel the scales on Barf's neck, both heads are confused, his touch is gentle, unlike most humans they encounter.

Belch sets him down, so both can stare at him. What he'd give to fly again, right now. So he'll take a gentle stroke of their scales, and curious gazes. he knows what to do next, Putting on his best acting skills, he did play Hiccup once after all, Tuff likes to think its all in the knees. He turns abruptly, scrambling away pretending to be frightened, running Ruffnut over in the process, past Fishlegs and Hiccup.

"Oh! Oh, I'm hurt! I am very much hurt!" Tuff yells.

"Chances of survival are dwindling to single digits now." Fishlegs squeaks.

Barf's head snakes out of the smoke, originally following the shouting, focus changing to Fishlegs, it sniffs the scared teen, who stammers and backs away, before tossing the water from his bucket at Barf, who isn't amused, staring at Fishlegs before gurgling up gas, Fishlegs pauses.

"Oh." He lets out a nervous chuckle, "Wrong head." Before he is sprayed with gas.

"Fishlegs!" Gobber shouts.

Fishlegs screams in terror and runs for his life, leaving Hiccup alone with a dragon. Barf's attention snaps to Hiccup, as does Belch' the two stare, gurgle and growl, Belch sparks at him.

"Now, Hiccup!" Gobber pushes.

Hiccup who doesn't actively put out fires on the daily, nor knows how much force to put behind tossing a bucket of water, does as told, and fails rather sadly. The water doesn't get anywhere near Belch, and lands at Hiccup's feet. "Oh, come on."
Belch lowers his head, snarling, both their wings stretch up intimidatingly, Barf stalks higher then Belch, who Roars and lunges his neck forth, Hiccup falls back.

"Hiccup!" Gobber shouts.

Before Belch immediately backs off, pulling close to their body, Barf doing the same, as Hiccup stands approaching them.

"Back, Back, Back! Now, don't you make me tell you again!" Hiccup says as the dragon backs into its stone cage, "yes, thats right. Back into your cage. Now think about what you've done." Hiccup tosses the eel in with them as the doors shut on them.

The whole group stares at him. Tuffnut grins mostly to himself, things are going smoothly so far, he spots Gothi in the seats, she is looking at him, he nods to her. Hiccup awkwardly looks at the group "ok, so are we done? Cause I got some things I need to... yep, I'll see you tomorrow!" Hiccup runs off. All eyes watch him leave.

---☆---

Later he goes looking for Honeycomb, or a bee hive in general, Mutton was one thing, Zipplebacks love Honeycomb as well, he can do this one small thing without messing everything up, he thought Barf and Belch deserve a treat better then an eel, much much better then an eel.

he trudges alone in the woods, looking around, for any bees at least, of course once he needs a bee hive he can't find one. He checks logs, between rocks, any small crevices, but mostly he looks at the trees. He spots one finally, high high up, Tuffnut groans in frustration, dropping his head against the bark of the tree, his helmet clanking.

Movement in the corner of his eye, and a building hiss. Tuffnut immediately turns to meet, the dark green Nadder, its wings raised to intimidate, eyes trained on him. But its tail isn't raised, the Nadder has a foot and its tail in a dragon snare, and with the trapper out on the sea, the dragon has just been here for how long Tuffnut didn't know, but its lucky Tuffnut was the first to find it. Again.

Tuffnut pulls his knife out of his pocket, the dragon hisses, defensively. His eyes scan over the dragons form, the Nadder looks hungry, the tear in its wing more noticable, its wounds starting to look bad, Tuffnut couldn't leave those to get worse, "hey" he raises the knife away from the Nadder, it watches, "just going to help"

The Nadder makes a small sound, scared, hungry, hurt. Tuff saws through the main rope, the Dragon's leg no longer held off the ground, but the loop is tight against its scales. Red angry scales from the wound it sustained from the last trap now rubbed raw by this one. Tuff carefully gets two fingers under the rope, the Nadder whines. Tuffnut looks back to the dragon, its watching, but letting him work. So in a swift manner he slips the blade under the rope and slices through it quickly.

Immediately the dragon moves to stand, chirping in alarm when the leg thats wounded and been suspended for probably days hurts. Tuffnut raises his hands "Hey! Hey calm down!" He tries, the Nadder looks at him curiously, not in fear, not with intent to kill. This time its curious. It sniffs him, chirping slightly. Its attention on the bag he has around his side, a small collection, Honeycomb was the last special treat before getting fish and meatlugs rocks.

The Nadder nudges him, hungry, "hey okay! Okay!" He opens the drawstring bag taking it off his shoulder, Mutton, A rat, and Chicken A Deadly Nadder's favorite. Plus two fish he caught himself because he considers that special. "Its not much" he takes a fish holding it out for the Nadder, of course he is in its blindspot, so it nearly takes his hand too.

"Hey I need that more then you" he laughs.

He sits on a log, tossing the rat, mutton and fish to the Nadder, it didn't like the first one, but ate it regardless. Tuffnut looks at its wound, thinking about it "you're only in this mess because of me.." he mumbles, "If I didn't freeze up, you would've gotten away"

The Nadder chirps, looking at the Chicken. If a dragon could drool over food, thats what the Nadder looks about ready to do, Tuffnut chuckles slightly, offering it up. The other dragons will understand hopefully, well Meatlug still gets her special treat. The Nadder happily takes the Chicken, chirping. Tuffnut will have to bring something for its wounds another time, and definitely more food, he owes it that.

The Nadder moves to nestle next to him, to his surprise. Its tired, its been through alot. He can't stay, but leaving feels awful. The only warmth this poor Nadder has experienced in days has been Tuff, freeing it twice, and feeding it. Nadders are loyal, much like Zipplebacks if you save them, Tuffnut doesn't know whats going to happen with this, but he won't let it die.

Hesitantly he reaches out to touch its scales, the Nadder raises its head to look at him. Tuff shakes his head, and pulls a Hiccup. Putting his hand out. Infront of the dragon, like Hiccup once had him do before for Belch. Closing his eyes, before a warm snout bumps his palm, he looks at the Nadder a small smile. "Okay, but no more getting caught in snares"

The sky tints pink, the sun dipping low.

---☆---

"Training went exactly as it should've.. give or take" Tuffnut shrugs, earning a thamp "Ow! Hey!"

Gothi's iconic stare breaks him easily, as it does to even the strongest vikings. "Fine! I may have done somethings differently! I can't keep exactly to what happened before!" Tuff flounders, meeting her gaze again "I'm staying away from the big stuff! I swear to Loki!"

Gothi shakes her head, grabbing a bag, inside clay balls, small as a marble, like stone unless soaked. She pulls out a few, and rolls three in a straight path, she lets him watch for a moment, before adding a forth from a slightly different angle, it rolls with them for a moment, slowly meeting another's trajectory, they collide and spread out in different directions, none following the original path.

"So.. which one was me?" He jokes, putting his hands up before he can get smacked again, "I get it. Okay. I'm trying, I'm not exactly the best for this Ruff would've been better then me, anyone at all. Why me? I don't have an Idea of what to do, no one to help me, and I can't even tell you anything. How.. am I supposed to do anything.."

Tuff curls his arms over his face, Helmet in one hand, he is just going through the days. Waiting for things to happen, its hard, knowing whats supposed to happen, and being unable to witness or experience anything. Lying in wait, aching to spring into action.

Of course a stick thacking him on the noggin makes him jolt, "Hey! What was that for!?"

Gothi taps the ground before starting to scribble, 'do you not think others would be panicked and disbelieving, think of it, you were chosen for a reason, so figure out why and you'll see.'

"How? I don't plan like Hiccup, the others even do that better then me, they always handle it" Tuff begins again, when two cold hands grab either side of his face forcing him to look into her eyes. No words are spoken. But with a look he understands what she means.

He nods as she moves to grab her staff again, wiping over the sand to write again, 'now you said you were my apprentice correct?'

"yeah.."

'Good, I'll expect you after training tomorrow, lets see what you know so far'

Tuffnut looks up at her, eyes big. from his spot where he sits he pushes away from the table, lunging from his seat, he embraces her, lower lip wobbling, Gothi caught off guard as the teen clings to her, "thank you" he sniffles. She relaxes in his hold, and pats his back with a small comforting smile. He needs something normal, or what was normal in his life.

Chapter Text

Hiccup starting to enter the forge at random times, Tuffnut knew it was one thing, he was making Toothless's gear. He felt jittery and ready for things to happen. He listened to Ruffnut and Fishlegs talk about Hiccup and 'The Zippleback' how maybe he somehow got lucky, or he has a miracle ability to handle dragons. In a way they were right, holding the secret in was like a thousand fireflys buzzing in his head, needing to get out. The greatest thing in their lives is happening not even that far away.

Training was great, Meatlug wasn't even firing her shots, just racing towards them and sending them flying, Tuffnut rolled out of the way because he knew it was coming, Ruffnut didn't know, he cringed as her shield clattered with the ground, his strategy to avoid Meatlug by nonstop moving was apparently now Astrid's, after last time she must've remembered. He felt honored. Of course moving and thinking weren't his strong suit, Tuff collides with her, she doesn't budge, catching both his forearms as he knocks into her. "Hey Hoff!" He grins.

Just in time to watch Snotlout fly, before Meatlug races toward Hiccup, only instead of the boy flying across the arena, the gronkle slams into the ground, rolling onto her side. Classic Dragon nip move, Astrid drops Tuff. Clearly not happy, Tuffnut sits up excited. A small crowd forming to watch, Gothi also in the crowd watching Hiccup. After Hiccup is swarmed, by Ruff, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Tuffnut because why not. Its Hiccup.

"I've never seen a gronkle do that!" Snotlout speaks, sounding in awe. Ruffnut pushes Tuffnut to get closer to Hiccup. Fisblegs follows behind a billion questions looking ready to spill. "I Left my axe back in the ring. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up with you." Hiccup excuses himself, running into Astrid, before he keeps going.

---☆---

That same day Tuff is feeding the dragons, looking around Gobber left him alone, which is weird, before Tuffnut wasn't to be trusted alone especially by Gobber. He doesn't linger on that, as he finishes feeding the rest of the dragons, but Barf and Belch, he final. Finally got Honeycomb, and mutton too, he looks around again, before opening their doors, its risky definitely, but He couldn't avoid it any longer, they weren't expecting that either, instead of the latch being opened their whole gate does.

Tuff with his bag of food, he holds the Honeycomb, a piece in each hand, holding both out, Barf and Belch sniff, Belch darts his tongue to taste first and before Tuffnut blinks both heads snatch the treat, he wipes the honey off on the bag, before dumping it infront of them, mackerel, and Mutton. They start to eat, not paying him attention anymore. So Tuffnut strokes their scales, bright greens, yellows, reds and even alittle blue. He always missed the pattern. Tuffnut remembers when he was dying, hoping to see his dragon one last time, how it was possible now he couldn't understand. The dragon finishes its food, both heads turn to him, staring curiously, he couldn't not stroke under their chins, scratch the itch they always seemed to get. Both heads rumbling, not in a growl or to ward him off, but them enjoying the gesture.

"I promise I'll be back.." Tuffnut swears, more to himself, heart hurting as he locks them back in the dark. He goes back to each gate to shut latches, all except the terrible terror, knowing it'll escape if he does. He hoped to give them some light for the day, he wanted to leave them open. But he'd be caught, Meatlugs big eyes as he shuts her away once more he doesn't know if he can keep doing that, but its better then them getting nothing.

"Thanks for the help lad" Gobber appears, scaring the daylights out of Tuffnut. The man laughs at his startled form, "you're a big help lad, couldn't get everything done if you didn't take over the feeding. Now I heard from Gothi, she's taking you as her apprentice, thats a big deal, in all my life shes never once taken one, I only learned her scribbles by chance really, but you, she says you have a gift." Gobber squishes him against his arm, "just wait till Stoick hears, or even your parents! Its a big deal lad"

Tuffnut flails, normally Tuff's a hugger, but Gobber is gonna break him. He pats the mans shoulder, "need air" the teen wheezed. Gobber lets him go. "This is very good news, they'll need it when they return" Gobber seems very excited, Tuffnut doesn't understand why, last time everyone was very very skeptical of him, but this time he wasn't being a menace at every chance. Thankfully Gobber wasn't going to tell anyone until Stoick returned. He would rather that not happen, but he can only delay.

---☆---

This training session was Stormfly again, in the open, Fishlegs running past him, Ruffnut literally zeroed in on Hiccup, watching. Tuffnut realizes this was the start of her Hiccup crush, it was also his then too, but who didn't love Hiccup, of course now he didn't harbor the crush anymore, and really really wanted Astrid and Hiccup to get together once again.

Astrid is barreled passed by Stormfly, running at Hiccup, the Nadder doesn't understand why he isn't running, it stares and sniffs him, most run by now. Astrid picks up her axe and lets out a battle cry charging the dragon, Hiccup thinking quickly starts scratching Stormfly looking for that one point, and before Astrid can strike, the Nadder falls before Hiccup. Astrid stares at him in disbelief.

In the great hall Hiccup sits at the empty table like normal, only everyone follows him. Except Astrid, who slams her cup down on the table shes at. As even fully grown Vikings praise Hiccups skills. Tuff hypes Hiccup up, he wouldn't be the hype man if he didn't. Definitely spinning the simple dragon nip with Meatlug into a dramatic story that has everyone on the edge of their seats, even Snotlout, Ruff and Fishlegs. hooking Hiccup around the shoulders with his arm, "Right H? You had the dragon right where you wanted" Tuff looks at him with a grin, Hiccup nods sheepishly. Tuff is an entertainer naturally, so storytelling comes easy. Of course Astrid is sending him eye daggers, and just to mess with her he sends her a wink right back.

---☆---

Gothi's hut always felt like ice right outside the door, but stepping inside its surprisingly warm, and smelled of spice and herbs. Tuff Struggles with a basic concoction used for sores, he's made it hundreds of times before, but for some reason he can't get it this time. Already wasting four bottles worth.

"Ugh I swear I made this before.. I don't know what I'm doing wrong" he huffs, shoving the nearly empty jar of honey away. No point in wasting the last of it.

'Try again' Gothi prompts him, being patient as she always has.

"But I wasted your supplies.. what if I lost the gift?" He worries.

Gothi laughs, slient but still a laugh. Shaking her head, 'nothing is wasted, what you've made so far is still useful, its not perfect but its useable. And dear there is no gift, there is only what you learn and how you use it, so try again. if we run out of stock simply fetch more' the sound of her stick scratching the floor is nostalgic for him.

---☆---

The crowd at the arena is larger, many excited to watch the training session, Gobber speaks proudly "Meet the Terrible Terror!" Much to Tuffnut's dismay, as the bar raises. He weighs his options, don't say anything small dragon attacks his face, say the thing that his friends bring up and laugh about for years and small dragon attacks his face. Tuffnut huffs not liking his options, but he knows this specific Terrible Terror has a thing for attacking his face. Which he dreads as the tiny door flap moves, and the green lizard appears.

He sucks it up, and reigns in his acting, scoffing at the dragon "it's like the size of my-" just like he remembered, the little beast lunges at his face, latching on with claws and teeth, he falls to the ground, everyone steps back, and a crowd watches him flailing "Get it off!" He shouts, as it bites his nose. Barf and Belch's gate shakes, the zippleback trying to get out.

And just like that the Terror spots a spot of reflected light on the ground, scrambling off Tuff to chase it, once the tiny sharp Teeth are gone, he continues his act, even as his face hurts "Oh, I'm hurt! I am very much hurt!" He rolls on the ground for a bit before holding his nose and grabbing his helmet to join the others in watching Hiccup Lead the Terror back to its cage. The little dragon slips back into its cage, Hiccup resting his foot against the metal flap and looking back at everyone.

---☆---

Tall trees really are hard to climb, a pot on the ground, he honestly tries not to think of the bees, but if he can't reach whats the point, his scaly friend chirping from the ground. "You could help, shoot a spine at it or headbutt the tree?" He tells the nadder, knowing it doesn't understand what he means, reminds him that he'll have to train Barf and Belch again. Which he doesn't mind, he slides down the tree tired as the sky is orange.

"C'mere Snare" he pats the ground, "let me see"

The Nadder nestles next to him, as he unwraps the bandages, its looking better, he pulls out some salve Gothi let him keep, Snare likes the smell of it, sniffing the container and trying to eat it, "no hold still."

The Nadder whines dramatically when he applies it to its wing, Tuff gives the dragon a look "I know its only sore now that the worst it gone but.. fine here" he takes a drumstick out of his bag and gives it to Snare, the dragon snatches it up and lets him finish dressing the wounds. Or try to, theres not enough salve in the jar, "should've brought both" he grumbles.

He sets the jar in his bag, and grabs the pot, "Stay" he tells the Nadder, hoping to sneak back, into his parents hut nit wake Ruff and come back with the other jar. Trudging out of the woods he turns, seeing he has a tail. "Stay. Snare." The Nadder sits, so Tuff keeps going.

Sneaking through the huts staying away from the night watch, and a clatter brings his attentions, he turns. There stands a happy Nadder oblivious to anything aside from Tuff who he just wants to follow. "Go back. Snare go back" Tuffnut waves at him to go back, the Nadder's eyes blink not in sync. Tuff slouches in annoyance, staring. shaking his head. "Just quiet down"

They sneak around the huts, Tuff hears the night watch and stops, pushing Snare behind a wall, or trying, the dragon just moved for Tuffnut. "Hiccup." He hears the man on night watch say. Tuff peers around seeing Hiccup leaning oddly against a wall. Interesting for Tuffnut, and apparently Snare too. As the spawn of lighting and death itself walks out of the shadows and toward the man walking away, Hiccup pulls Toothless back by a cord attached to Hiccup's waist.

Tuffnut leads Snare around another building, both watching Hiccup and Toothless sneak into the forge. Toothless instantly making a clatter, Tuff luckily spots Astrid and pushes Snare back out of sight. She makes her way right up to the Forge window "Hiccup? Are you in there?"

Hiccup bursts through the window, slamming the shudders shut "Astrid. Hey." He says, looking around "Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid."

"I normally don't care what people do, but you're acting weird." She states.

Hiccup is pulled back against the shudders, "Ohh!" He chuckles.

"Well, Weirder."

Hiccup is lifted off the ground infront of her, to her surprise, and suddenly he is pulled through the window in an instant, the shudders shutting on their own. Astrid pulls them open and Hiccup is gone, she looks over the room. Tuff watches Hiccup and Toothless dart away before taking off.
Astrid grumbles turning, she spots Tuffnut's helmet. "And What are you doing?"

Tuff peeks at her and waves "Heyy Hoff, I'm not doing anything.. that you'd be interested in at least" he gives her a thumbs up, and a grin.

"Okay where is she? Not the first time you two have pulled something on me." She says, stomping over.

"Hey its just me" he states, she pushes past him "Hey I swear I'm all alone..?" He looks back as she does too, Snare isn't there. Astrid looks at him, "something weird is going on, both you and Hiccup are being weirder then normal, and I'm going to figure out what." She pokes his chest and leaves,

Of course finding the Nadder seems just as hard as trying to get it to stay, until he sees the tail poking out of the forge, Snare sniffs the ground where Toothless just was, Tuffnut tries to pull the Dragon out of the forge but the Nadder isn't budging. Tuffnut huffs, and looks around. Hiccup left his blueprints on the table, Tuffnut never took interest in it, its Hiccups thing. But looking at it, it could be useful. Here he has a chance, to save everyone, any skill he picks up can help, Snare chirps. Tuff looks at his wing, maybe he can attempt something.

Tuff pulls out his journal and copies what he can, Snare ready to move again. Getting the salve is easy after that, grabbing some chicken as he leaves the hut to lead the dragon back to the woods. "Gotta have a spot to keep you.. so no one finds you, you'll be safe" Tuffnut has a cave in mind, its not in use, at least for now. Untill then Snare can use it.

"You're trouble ya know that." He pats the Nadder's leg. Snare chirps bumping Tuff's side with his snout.

Chapter Text

The ships returned, charred and barely afloat. A couple missing, and too many in them. Tuff and Ruff watch as the majority return, even Spitelout made it back. Tuffnut knew that but he still hoped that maybe this time. He'd have to hope for his own father to disappear as well, but weighing which one they all hate more Spitelout takes the lead. He wasn't even sure his friends ever met his and Ruffnut's parents, maybe they did, he couldn't ask now.

"What do you think they're talking about" Ruff motions to Stoick and Gobber.

"Hiccup maybe" Tuff responded.

Tuff still can't believe he's seeing Stoick, alive, silly as it maybe He looked up to Stoick growing up. The chief was like a father to everyone, he remembers being so hurt, everyone was. He wanted to do something about it, Stoick had a great beard, and Tuff couldn't grow one, so he tied his hair around the front and made one, then it became less of comforting his friends with his silly "beard" and more so for himself as he got attached. It was odd but it helped in the end.

"Who do you think is gonna win tomorrow? Astrid or Hiccup?" Ruffnut asks.

"Hiccup duh, you saw how he saved my glorious face" Tuffnut grins.

"Exactly, Hiccup is magical I'm telling you, though he could've waited a bit to save your face, it was fun to watch"

"Hey! That tiny dragon had even tinier knives for teeth"

"Can't believe you're scared of a Terrible Terror Bro"

Tuff pouts, leaning further on the barrel Ruff is sitting on, his eyes trailing Gobber and Stoick, the pair talking and walking. Making their way up the docks, into the village. Gobber takes notice of him, eyes lighting up as he starts telling the chief something else, excited as he was before when Stoick got off the boat, or when he started talking to the chief for the first time in days. When Stoick turns to look at him, Tuff has the sudden urge to run away.

"Okay.. why're they both looking over here?" Ruffnut straightens up a bit, a concerned look on her face. "Why are they headed this way!?"

"Quick! We throw every we own into the water. They're distracted. we make a break for it. Perfect escape"

"Too late their right infront of us.." Ruffnut mutters.

Tuff groans, pushing off the barrel. Stoick walks right up to them, he looks fairly happy for a man that was just handed a defeat. Tuffnut looks up at the man, what does one say to someone thats been dead for so long, words seem too short, actions not enough. "Hey Chief!" He says, mentally screaming.

"Tuffnut" Stoick looks proud, "First I hear Hiccup is great dealing with dragons! Then I hear Gothi has taken you as her apprentice!"

Ruffnut looks at Tuffnut, "since when?"

"It just happened" Tuffnut shrugs.

"This is tremendous news for berk!" Stoick laughs, "your parents are going to be so proud of you boy!"

Gobber starts going on about Gothi and how she had never taken an apprentice, Stoick adding something every so often, Tuffnut is honestly impressed how easily the two men communicate, maybe being bestfriends for so long will do that. Makes him miss the friendship he had with Snotlout.

Stoick's hand engulfs his shoulder, Tuff nearly buckles from the weight of it landing on him "Be proud lad. Your future is Berk's."

Stoick and Gobber start to leave, while Tuffnut attempts to process what just happened. Ruffnut nudges him, "hey isn't that Spitelout? talking to Snotlout" she points. He looks to where she is pointing, Spitelout scolding Snotlout, probably for something he can't control as always, "think its about dragon training?"

"Its Spitelout could be anything, but probably" Ruff shrugs

"Wanna mess with Spitelout?" Tuff looks at her.

"Uh yeah"

Ruffnut gets off the barrel, following Tuffnut as he makes his way. Snotlout stands there as Spitelout tears him down, Tuff always hated how Spitelout was, how insecure Snotlout was, all because of his father. The man was never happy with anything Snotlout did, always putting him down for anything, making his accomplishments minuscule to his failings. This time. Tuff is gonna do something about it.

"that walking fishbone beat you! We Jorgenson's are strong and proud! How cod you let that happen boyo!" Spitelout spoke to Snotlout.

Ruff looks to Tuff for his brilliant plan, he nods to her, the pair stroll over, hooking an arm to each of Snotlout's, both grinning ear to ear. Snotlout is surprised by their sudden appearance. Spitelout stops his tangent. "What are you doing!?"

"Sorry! Gotta borrow him!" Tuffnut flashes Spitelout his famous smirk.

"Ya know, training, killing things great stuff!" Ruffnut continues. Doing the same.

Before Spitelout can protest the kidnapping of his son, They make their getaway. Snotlout walks with them a question on his tongue, never uttered. But its clear, where, what or why. The twins lead Snotlout to their hut, the pair wordlessly communicating on it with looks and shrugs. Ruffnut opens the door pulling Snotlout behind her, Tuffnut looking out to see if Spitelout followed before shutting the door.

"Okay Snotty boy! Relax. Sit." Tuffnut pushes him to sit in a chair, "Ruff! Let us grab some time passers!"

Snotlout isn't sure what to do, as the twins head off in different directions, Ruffnut returning with a hairbrush and other hair items, Tuffnut returning with sewing supplies and fur blankets. Set down infront of him, Snotlout looks at it, and back at them. "What?"

"What do you want to do? Sewing, Storytelling, Braiding, or alittle of all! All are options. Your choice. No wrong choice" Tuffnut smiles.

"Yeah Snotlout, We're not going to say anything. me n' Tuff wanted to relax anyways" Ruffnut put.

"Really? No tricks?" Snotlout wasn't sure.

"No tricks! We swear!" Tuff nudges Ruff who nods.

"Okay.. maybe a bit of everything?"

"Great choice!"

Snotlout was handed the sewing supplies, and given materials and even a pattern to follow Tuffnut drew up of a monstrous nightmare. He was sat infront of Ruff who had taken the braids out of her hair, she was holding the brush. Tuff was gathering Ruffnut's favorite beads and ties. Tossing the blankets over, and setting a mug of tea down for Snotlout. "Get comfortable." Ruffnut told Snotlout.

Tuff retold a classic of trolls and pirates, braiding Ruffnut's hair, as she brushed Snotlout's hair, as Snotlout was working on the startings of the monstrous nightmare plush, Snotlout didn't want to ruin the moment. It was calm, and felt safe. When Ruffnut's hair was done, and Snotlout had decided his fingers were tired, they called it quits. Tuffnut promised Snotlout he could keep his project here and finish it whenever he could. Snotlout left feeling better then he had in a while. The two would keep their word, anything that happens during relaxation time stays there.

---☆---

The next day was bustling, Hiccup was practically swarmed just getting to the ring, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins stood off with Gobber as Astrid and Hiccup took their positions. Gobber released Meatlug, the gronkle flying over the arena and all the wooden barriers. Hiccup ducks behind one, Astrid doing the same at the very Barrier. Before she shoves his shield down "Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing." She tells him before taking off.

"Please, by all means." Hiccup speaks. Standing to look at his father.

Meatlug slowly flys towards him, Astrid stalks the dragon. Weaving through the barriers, "this time, this time for sure!" She mutters to herself. She breathes and raises her axe, screaming as she leapt the barrier. Only to stop, and see the dragon is already down, Hiccup already beat her. The crowd cheering.

"No! No, Son of a half-troll, rat-eating, munge-bucket!"

"Wait! Wait." Stoick calls.

"So, later."  Hiccup attempts to escape.

"Oh! Not so fast" Gobber literally lifts him off the ground to set him back where he was.

"I'm kind of late for.."

"What?!" Astrid shouts, "Late for what, Exactly?"

"Okay quiet down! The elder has decided." Stoick announces. Gothi walking up the the edge. Gobber raises his hook hand over Astrid, Gothi shakes her head no, the crowd gasps and murmurs. Gobber points to Hiccup, and Gothi nods, the crowd cheers loudly.

"Oh, you've done it! You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!"Gobber cheers pulling an uncomfortable Hiccup into a side squeeze, Fishlegs and Snotlout running over followed by Ruff and Tuff, cheering, Snotlout and Fishlegs lifting Hiccup up, as Tuff and Ruff bang their heads together, Tuff missed that, fixing his helmet to cheer Hiccup on.

"Thats my boy!" Stoick shouts.

"Yeah. Yes. I can't wait.. I am so.. Excited.." Hiccup barely raises his fist high. As the crowd cheers.

Chapter Text

"Hold still. Hey! Give it back"

Its not how he honestly expected this to go, but it never was, wrestling the overgrown lizard for a jar of salve wasn't ideal, especially since he didn't effect Snare at all. Tuff frowned, pulling a trout out of his bag, waving it infront of the Nadder. Snare drops the salve, and Tuffnut tosses him the fish. Picking up the jar.

When suddenly his fight or flight instincts flare up, the sound of someone screaming. Astrid screaming. Tuff grabs his knife he was using to cut cloth for bandages. Running towards the commotion, and spotting Toothless literally flying past holding her. He hunkers down, trying to calm down, Snare right behind him. As Toothless drops Astrid onto a tree branch. Hiccup on his back. Toothless landing on that same tree, making it bend forward.

He can hear shouting, but he can't make out whats being said, he knows theres definitely a negotiation happening. Before Astrid climbs onto Toothless's back behind Hiccup. Tuffnut can understand why he never heard about this, its a private moment, Astrid learning to trust dragons, more specifically Toothless. And Hiccup.

Toothless shoots into the sky, both his riders scream. Spinning and diving, like he's trying to ditch Astrid, possibly Hiccup too if Tuffnut didn't know better. Its fast, Toothless speeding away, out of his sight. Tuff smiles to himself, and turns back to Snare. "C'mon lets go" he heads to Snare's cave.

---☆---

The sky is dark, when he enters Barf and Belch's cage cracking it to not be suspicious nor noticeable. The dragon settles down seeing its him, Belch nudging his chest, Barf nuzzles his side. He runs his hands over their snouts, scratching under their chins. Barf garbles, tilting his head for Tuff to scratch more. Tuff sits on the floor, both heads of the dragon curl around him and lay on his lap, he pets their scales, occasionally scratching an itch. They seem agitated, wings folding and unfolding to hit the walls.

"I know. Soon, real soon guys, you'll get to fly" Tuff whispers.

Barf and Belch settle and sleep, resting their heads on his warmth instead of the cold stone floor. Tuff frowns wishing he could make the days move faster, Barf and Belch. Meatlug. Stormfly. All of them. Need to spread their wings, need to fly.

---☆---

Cheers erupted throughout berk, the day of the final exam. Or Hiccup's stand. Crowd so thick there was no moving through, Ruffnut had to hold his wrist just to keep from being separated, they made they're way to the entrance with the others, Stoick standing above the crowd, Tuff was anxious, everything was about to happen, the start of the greatest thing in his life, everything depends on Hiccup. All he can do is watch for now. The crowd literally cheering Hiccup's name over and over.

Stoick speaks up After most had packed into the stands, the pathway clearing for the most part. "Well, I can show my face in public again!" He speaks boisterously, the crowd erupts in laughter. "If someone had told me that in a few short weeks Hiccup would go from, well, being uh, Hiccup. To placing first in dragon traing, Well I'd have tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad! And you know it!" Stoick laughs, the crowd cheers. "But here we are. And no one is more surprised or more Proud than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. Today, He becomes one of us!" The crowd cheers louder.

Tuffnut watches Hiccup, who stands there. Holding his helmet, deep in thought as he listens to his father's speech. Tuff knows whats going through his head, Astrid approaching him, "becareful with that Dragon"

"Its not the Dragon I'm worried about.." Hiccup looks to his father.

"What are you going to do?" She hushes down to ask.

"Put an end to this. I have to try. Astrid, if something goes wrong, just make sure they don't find Toothless." Hiccup whispers just below the cheers. Tuff had to really listen.

"I will. Just promise me it won't go wrong."

Tuff grows more anxious, worry building in his gut. Did he mess everything up? What if something does go wrong?

"Its time, Hiccup. Kncok 'em dead." Gobber rounds the corner. Hiccup stepping forth, the crowd erupts with glee seeing him step into the light, the giant gate slowly shuts behind him. He puts on his helmet.

Tuffnut feels how Astrid looks, worried and uneasy. This is the beginning, Hiccup is about to change everything. But knowing, knowing what supposed to happen, he worries, horribly so. Its not Hookfang he worries about, nor Hiccup. But the crowd. Stoick. It was them the last time that nearly got Hiccup killed, and its this time Tuff worries they'll actually manage. Toothless too, Tuff clings to Ruff, she is excited, already being clingy and shaking him, so him clinging to her is taken as such.

Hiccup grabs a shield, and a dagger. Stoick watching and pointing, whispering to Gobber. Hiccup breathes, steadying himself. "I'm ready"

The gates to Hookfang's cage clicking as it slowly opens, in a burst of fire the doors swing and hit the stone walls, Hookfang shrieking flames dripping from him. The crowd gasps. Hookfang looks around, growling at the crowd, lunging at the wall of the ring and crawling around, spewing fire at the audience. Who quickly jump back narrowly avoiding the flames. Hookfang crawls across the chain and metal dome, stopping. And finally taking notice of Hiccup. Looking down at the teen. And lowers himself onto the stone ground. Directly infront of Hiccup.

Hookfang creeps toward Hiccup, slowly. "Go on, Hiccup. Give it to him!" A random man yells from the crowd. Hookfang closing in, and Hiccup drops his shield, and his dagger. Backing away slowly, Hookfang follows. Stoick sits up watching, brows furrowed "What is he doing?" The crowd starts to murmur. Astrid gripping the bars of the gate.

"Hey, its Ok. Its Ok." Hiccup speaks directly to Hookfang, hands out infront of him. The dragon slows slightly, sniffing, staring directly at that Helmet. Hiccup breathes, stopping, reaching up. Taking the helmet off. "I'm not one of them." He speaks, tossing the helmet aside, the crowd gasps. And Hookfang looks to the discarded helmet, pupils widening as he turns back to Hiccup. Stoick grips the arm of his seat, the crowd in disbelief.

"Stop the fight." Stoick commands.

"NO! I Need you all to see this." Hiccup stands against his father, raising his hand out for Hookfang. The dragon sniffs it cautiously, slowly approaching it "they're not what we think they are, We don't have to kill them."

Tuff really really wishes these stubborn folk would just listen, he can't handle this. The crowd can't believe whats happening, they turn to Stoick. Stoick stands immediately, an anger in his tone "I said, Stop the fight!" He swings his hammer down on the bars, bending and denting it. A bang sounds across the ring, Hookfang near trusting Hiccup jolts back in surprise, retaliating, nearly taking Hiccup's hand. Hiccup jumps back and runs, Hookfang giving Chase. Spewing flames as Hiccup shouts.

Tuffnut grips Ruffnut's arm like a life line, Ruff also watching in suspense, "ow Tuff. Let up" she shoves him a bit, he loosens his grip. Stoick pushes through the crowd, Astrid shouts for Hiccup. Grabbing an axe off the wall and propping the giant wood and Metal gate up herself. Tuffnut forgot she ever did that, finding it impressive as it is scary how strong she is. She squeezes under the gate, the axe jammed in place.

Hiccup narrowly misses being burned alive once again, just managing to grab a shield as Hookfang destroys the weapon stand. Charging at Hiccup. "Hiccup!" Astrid calls, kicking up his helmet and chucking it full force at Hookfang, the dragon is hit square in the head, dazed momentarily before charging Astrid. Stoick throws open the back gate of the entrance to the ring, Snotlout quickly moves out of Stoick's way. The teens all moving out of the way and joining the crowd, The chief throws open the main gate like nothing.

"This way!" Stoick calls for the both of them.

Astrid gets there first, Hookfang goes after Hiccup. And just before Hiccup can escape Hookfang fires, a burst of flames hitting the wall directly next to Hiccup and the exit. Stoick shields Astrid, Hiccup falls back. Standing to turn in time to be tackled by an entire Monstrous Nightmare, caged in by Hookfang's claws. Tuff looks up, watching for a streak of black in the blue sky. As Hookfang Snarls, the all too familiar whistling is heard over everything, a sound everyone fears, but Tuffnut cannot.

From the background the offspring of lightning and death itself appears, blasting through the bars of the ring. Fire and smoke fill the arena. In the unseeing cloud the dragons fight, Hiccup freed from Hookfang's grasp. Toothless pulls Hookfang into view, clinging to the larger dragons back, Hookfang tucks and rolls, Toothless uses that to his advantage, batting his wings and shaking his head around as he bites down to thrash Hookfang about.

"Night Fury!" Gobber points out.

Hookfang manages to get back on his feet, craning his neck to try and bite at Toothless. Who lets go to avoid nashing teeth. Falling back onto the stone, Hookfang follows, going for Toothless's exposed belly, the Night fury immediately kicks the snout of the other dragon, thrashing as Hookfang tries to bite into him, Toothless kicks Hookfang square in the shoulders sending the dragon across the ring. Hookfang lands roughly, struggling back upright and getting his bearings snarling baring his teeth to Toothless.

The Night fury puts himself between Hiccup and Hookfang, growling, and baring his own teeth to the Monstrous Nightmare. Hookfang goes to circle around Toothless, and is met immediately by the defensive. Over and over. Tuffnut grips the bars of the dome, Ruffnut beside him, trying to get a better view. Snotlout literally climbed the dome for a better vantage point, Fishlegs watching the fight with wide eyes. Toothless roars at Hookfang, raising his wings and leaping forth with a swipe. The Nightmare backs up, hitting the wall, a small snarl before crawling off defeated.

Hiccup stands immediately, running to Toothless. "All right, Toothless, go. Get out of here." Hiccup speaks hurriedly and panicked. Spitelout is the first to jump into the ring, many following him, Hiccup looks to the people charging toward Toothless. "Go, Go!" He pushes, desperately trying to get his dragon out of here.

"Stoick, no!" Astrid shouts.

The chief had grabbed an axe off the wall, charging into the ring. Hiccup looks to him, "No Dad! he won't hurt you!" Hiccup pleads, Toothless growls at the approaching mob. Toothless begins fighting off attackers, kicking and throwing Vikings, "no, don't! You're only making it worse!" Toothless tackles Stoick, "Toothless, stop!" Hiccup shouts, Toothless opens his jaws, readying to fire at the chief. Tuff finds himself back on Valka's island of ice, his chest tightening, Drago flashing in his eyes, Toothless being controlled.

"NO! NO!" Hiccup nearly screams. Toothless stops, reigning in his fire. And looking to Hiccup with a small warble. Hiccup is distraught, unsure what to do, Spitelout hits Toothless in the face with his weapon, the dragon dazed, before Spitelout grabs Toothless by his head and slams him to the ground, Tuffnut forgot that as well, a new reason to hate the man for him. many others follow Spitelout's lead to detain Toothless.

"No, No! Please don't hurt him!" Hiccup cries. Astrid holding him back.

Under the many restraining grasps, and the hands of Spitelout forcing his jaws shut, and into the stone. Toothless calls to Hiccup. Gobber dragging Hookfang back to his cage by his horns. Stoick looks to his axe, and back to the detained dragon. Shoving his axe to another's hands, he looks to Toothless. "Put it with the others."

Tuffnut trembling, finally lets out a breath, peeling his fingers off the metal. Stoick drags Hiccup out of the arena, as the crowd watches the Night fury. Tuffnut slips away, following at a distance. It was this talk, something Hiccup always thought about but never told anyone else what was said. Tuff wanted to know, for himself. And maybe for the future.

Stoick throws Hiccup into the great hall, grumbling on, Tuff just managing to get close enough as the door swings nearly closed and sways open a bit. "I should have known, I should have seen the Signs"

"Dad?" Hiccup's voice speaks.

"We had a deal!" Stoick shouts.

"I know we did, that was before I... aw, it's all so messed up." Hiccup tries.

"So everything in the ring, a trick? A Lie?"

"I screwed up. I should have told you before now. I just.. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please, Just don't hurt Toothless."

"The dragon? Thats what you're worried about? Not the people you almost Killed?"

"He was just Protecting me! He's not dangerous."

"They've killed hundreds of us!"

"And We've killed THOUSANDS of them! They defend themselves, thats all! They raid us because they have to. If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else on their island, Dad. Its a dragon like.."

Tuff sucks in a breath, not liking this.

"Their island? So you've been to the nest?" Stoick speaks.

"Did I say nest?"

"How did you find it?" Stoick demands.

"What? No, I didn't. Toothless did." Tuffnut can hear the shuffling as Hiccup backs away, "only a dragon can find the island." Hiccup says, before realizing what he just said. "No, no, no. No, Dad. No, please. Its not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. Its like nothing you've ever seen." His voice cracks as he pleads. Stoick shoves Hiccup aside, moving to leave.

"Dad, Please. I promise you, you can't win this one!" Hiccup cries, "No, Dad. No. For once in your life, would you please just listen to me?!" Hiccup grapples his father's arm, only to be thrown to the cold floor.

"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son."

Tuffnut felt the hurt in his bones, words he never expected from Stoick, words he never knew were uttered. Hiccup didn't deserve that, the hurt. Tuff hears Stoick marching out of the doors, no place to hide as the door slams. He stands there sheepishly, eyes meeting Stoick's, the man filled with anger and betrayal. He doesn't speak to Tuff, the stare down is enough. Before Stoick promptly leaves, making his way down the steps.

"Ready the ships!" Stoick shouts to his people. Stopping momentarily, a second to think of the horrid words he just spewed to his only son. Before he hardens his heart oncr more, and continues down the path.

Tuff peeks into the slightly open door, Hiccup hasn't made a move to get off the floor, reeling from the encounter. Lost in his head, until the door creaks. Hiccup meets Tuff's eyes, and Tuffnut can see the hurt and fear. "Hey.. H" Tuffnut approaches him, holding out a hand. "Need a hand?"

Hiccup stares at his hand skeptically, before taking it. Tuff helps him to his feet, he isn't sure what to say exactly. Should he even say anything. "I'm sorry about what happened.."

Hiccup stares at him for a second, "um.. I'd like to be alone for a moment.."

Tuff nods quickly "yeah. Sorry. I'll.. see you" slowly he shuts the doors behind him. Pausing outside the door, if he could just say the right thing. Maybe, Hiccup would trust him better.

---☆---

The entire fleet is almost ready to set sail, Tuffnut and the other teens watching, Gothi standing off with the village children, she pulls Gustav closer to her to comfort him. Her gaze disapproving of this. Tuffnut can tell, its been directed at him many times. Toothless is lowered onto a ship, Tuffnut watches sadly, looking up to Hiccup on a higher platform. "Set Sail!" Stoick yells. His eyes too spotting Hiccup.

Tuffnut looks back to the fleet as Astrid approaches Hiccup, if anyone can say the right thing. Its her.

Chapter Text

Lounging in the great hall, Fishlegs nervously tapping on a book. Snotlout with his arms folded like a pillow under his head. Tuffnut and Ruffnut finding the oddest positions to sit, Ruffnut upside down in her seat, Tuffnut backwards.

The doors to the great hall swing open, and from her spot Ruffnut speaks "what do you want?"

Astrid stands there, "I need all of you to listen. if we don't do something our parents aren't going to make it back."

"What are we going to do?" Fishlegs speaks.

"My dad's a Jorgensen! He always comes back. But.. yeah what can we do?" Snotlout stands.

"Its not like we can just fly over there." Ruffnut huffs.

Tuffnut grins ear to ear, "Just tell us what to do A"

---☆---

The ring, Hiccup stands infront of Hookfangs cage, hand under his chin in thought, the others enter the arena, Fishlegs the first to speak, "if you're planning on getting eaten, I'd definitely go with the Gronkle"

Tuffnut steps forth, pushing past Ruffnut, hoping he remembers what he said orginally. "You were wise to seek help from the world's most deadly weapon." Tuffnut grins, directly infront of Hiccup. "Its me."

Snotlout comes up behind him and grapples Tuffnut by the face to push him backwards "I love this plan."

"I didn't..." Hiccup is confused, he never told them the plan, he has the idea of a plan he isn't entirely sure of himself.

Ruffnut shoulders Snotlout out of her way, "You're crazy." She says before whispering "I like that."

Astrid literally pulls Ruffnut away from Hiccup by the horns of her Helmet. "So. What is the plan?"

Hiccup gives her a determined look, "its completely insane. But I need you All to trust me." He looks to them all. He grabs the lever for Hookfang's cage, Ruff, Snotlout and Fishlegs look uneasy, the cage clicks as the lever is pulled, the bar raises. Tuffnut knows they've already been fed today, so they are more relaxed and theres less commotion anyway.

Hiccup works his magic, something that never grows old, Tuff missed it. Beaming with excitement, he couldn't wait. Ruffnut could tell he was jittery, she was too. All of them watched in amazement, Tuffnut also in pride for his leader. Snotlout is uneasy, looking to the others and back to the two ton dragon. He grabs the tip of a broken spear off the ground, and Astrid smacks his elbow shaking her head. He reluctantly lets it go.

Hiccup leads Hookfang close, Snotlout about reasy to run when Hiccup grabs his arm. "Wait! What are you...?"

"Shh.. relax." Hiccup tells him before turning to calm Hookfang "its ok. Its ok" grabbing Snotlout's arm once more, the other teen trusting him this time, Snotlout flattens his palm out as Hiccup shows him, slowly placing it on Hookfang's snout. The dragon lets out a guttural purr, and Snotlout breathes and lets out a smile. This is the most positive interaction he'd ever had with a dragon, Hookfang calmly looks at the boy, and Snotlout lets out an excited little laugh, and Hiccup steps away, Snotlout panics a bit, "where are you going?"

"You're gonna need something to help you hold on" Hiccup grabs some ropes.

Astrid and Stormfly click easily, the Nadder chirps. Astrid was ready, she gently copies what Snotlout had done, extending her arm. Palm out, gently settling on Stormfly's beak. An instant bond. Hiccup smiles at her, Astrid looks excited. Petting Stormfly's snout a couple times to get familiar with her new dragon.

Fishlegs rambles about how the jaw strength of a gronkle is ten times more powerful then most dragons, Tuff didn't want to sit through it again. Once was enough he could geek out after they saved everyone, Meatlug waited patiently, and she already trusted Tuff for the most part. So he stepped forward before anyone could stop him and grabbed Fishlegs arm, and pulled it toward Meatlug, Fishlegs let out his frightened noise before his palm hit Meatlug's bumpy snout, and the gronkle stuck out her tongue and wagged her tail. Fishlegs relaxed immediately, "this is so amazing"

Tuffnut gives the others a thumbs up, of course they are staring at him for the stunt but he really couldn't stand to be here that long again, especially when he knows how close they are, and Barf and Belch were literally the only thing on his mind, he wanted to go, go, go.

And apparently so did Barf and Belch. The doors to their cage opens, and the first thing they see after adjusting to the light is Hiccup, but just past him was Tuffnut and Ruffnut. So instead of the calm leading he did for the others, the Zippleback runs past him. The others look startled at the racing dragon, Ruffnut's eyes widen, and she leaps out of the way, the total opposite of Tuffnut. Who spreads his arms open wide, nearly being thrown back by the force of Barf and Belch as they run into him, curling both necks around him before he can fly back.

Tuffnut smiles and giggles, Barf nips his shoulder, Belch nudges him. "Guys guys hey, okay calm down" he laughs, petting Barf's scales, and scratching Belch's chin. They let up, uncurling their necks, and letting him go. As soon as he takes in his surroundings once more, he realizes all eyes are on him, he never actually thought of an excuse.

"Eh.. whats happening?" Hiccup ponders.

"Thats what I'm wondering" Astrid speaks.

Ruffnut stares too, Tuffnut zeroes in on her. Holding out his hand, for a moment. Before she moves toward him. He has Barf and Belch come closer. They lower their heads for her, and as she bonds he turns back to the others. Readying the best idea he could, "So I started feeding them for Gobber. He said it'd help him get everything he needed to do done, and dragons are cool. It just happened"

"So you're Gothi's apprentice and you fed the dragons for Gobber?" Ruffnut asks.

"Wait Tuffnut's Gothi's apprentice?" Fishlegs speaks.

"Okay as much as I want to hear this, we need to go now." Hiccup was interested in hearing more, unfortunately they needed to hurry. "Lets fly"

Tuff quickly shut down any explanation on anything, Hiccup had to show them how to get on the dragons. he felt like it was snoggletog, uncontainable excitment, as Snotlout carefully mounted Hookfang, grabbing the dragon's horns. Fishlegs following the example, Meatlug nearly taking off as he gets on her back. Ruffnut makes a point that she wants the gassy head of the dragon. "All yours sis" Tuffnut shrugs. Climbing onto Belch's neck. She looks at him skeptically, climbing onto Barf's neck.

Astrid took off first, Hiccup on Stormfly with her. Tuffnut carefully taking Belch's horns, and guiding the dragon up, The zippleback surprisingly quick to understand what he wants, its like the hundredth time once more, rocky like always, but smooth enough you don't worry for falling. He couldn't contain his glee, shuffling around in place on the dragon's neck.

Ruffnut looked a tad spooked, Barf getting his bearings as she clings to him. But the same for Snotlout and Hookfang, the dragons all file out the mouth of the ring. The exhilarating experience of flying once again, Stormfly is the leading dragon, flying over berk, Hookfang close behind her. Barf and Belch keep up. Tuff looks behind them, Meatlug on their tail. They zip over the great hall's steps, over the huts and stalls, the forge and past Gothi's hut. Tuff spots something past the trees as they leave Berk, Snare. The Nadder calls out, flapping its wings without gaining any air. He'll make it up to Snare, if his hurting heart has anything to say about it. They gain distance from the island.

The wind whipping his hair about, the chill biting at his ears, the sea below, the danger of flying, the thrill, the warmth of the dragon, the trust either have. The bond to be, perfection. The overwhelming excitement wants to break out, he wants to cheer and celebrate this. And as much as this moment is triumph for him, its also daunting. For everyone, they handle the reins of both flying a dragon, and the very fight that looms over them.

He can feel the tension, the feeling of dread, Tuffnut knows his parents survive this, but they don't. Tuff knows the beast Hiccup was speaking of, they have the idea, and everything of it is correct. The Red Death is terror, for both man and dragon. She is a monster of nature, feasting on anything she can, controlling other dragons to bring her whatever they can carry, and those that can't. Die.

They enter the thick fog, he can barely see, having to slow the zippleback before they hit a rock formation, They wander aimlessly for a moment, the queen not calling to her hive, Stoick is on the island, and She does not like that.

"Its not.." Hiccup starts "last time we were led straight there.."

"He's not lying, somethings different" Astrid speaks. He could hear them, starting to panic. Like last time, the whole thing was pure panic and chaos.

When the crashing of rocks and the rumble of stone is heard way off in the distance, the loud crumbling heard bouncing off rock faces. Followed by the distant cheers of vikings. Abruptly cut short. For a moment blind silence, the sound of wings flapping, breathing and Meatlug. Before many dragons speed past them, Snotlout is nearly knocked off Hookfang. More cheers follow that. Before loud sounds of rumbling are heard, the the roar of a dragon so powerful the fog starts to thin, And rock formations shake.

The fog clearing enough they can see what not to crash into, the literal earth shakes as they start maneuvering around the many obstacles, the sound of the skies breaking open, followed by the screams of their families. From the corner of his eye he sees Ruffnut's knuckles turning white from the grip she has on Barf's horns. as the Red Death roars mighty enough to shake the heavens once more he can see Hiccup growing more determined.

A plume of red hot fire, so bright its like a beacon. They head straight for it. "Follow us!" Hiccup shouts, they turn into the open, relief in his friends faces, all of their parents moving from the battle, including his own. All of the adults of berk crowded on one side away from the beast, while Gobber and Stoick have a deathwish, facing the enormous dragon. As she's about to strike, Hiccup shouts to Fishlegs, the gronkle's blast striking the Red Death on her noggin.

Out of the smoke they appear, circling the dazed queen of dragons. "Ruff! Tuff! Watch your backs! Move, Fishlegs!" Hiccup orders, Tuff just wants to explode in a ball of excitement, he could follow Hiccup anywhere, and Dragons, Dragons in general. "Look at us! We're on a Dragon! We're on Dragons! All of us!" Tuffnut boasts loud enough the crowd can hear. All eyes on them, "Up! Lets move it!" Hiccup calls, they fly higher as the Red Death targets a ship.

"Fishlegs break it down!" Hiccup calls.

"Ok. Heavily armored skull and tail made for bashing and crushing! Steer clear of both. Small eyes, large nostrils! Relies on Hearing and smell!"

"Okay! Lout, Legs! Hang in its blind spot, make some noise keep it confused! Ruff, Tuff find out if it has a shot limit! Make it mad!"

"That's my specialty!" Ruffnut grins.

"Yeah!" Tuffnut kicks his legs out excited.

"I'll be back as soon as I can!" Hiccup tells them all.

"Don't worry we got it covered!" Snotlout shouts as they split off, "Yeah!" Fishlegs calls, Ruffnut whooping as they head toward the massive dragon. Tuff and Ruff take lead, flying under the tail, and around the back of the Red Death. Fishlegs and Snotlout draw back as the twins circle to her face, just as he's about to send insults toward her. Her eyes bore into him, big inky pools fill his head, time seems to slow, panic and terror build up in him, all six eyes open, eating him alive in his mind, its like she knows, She Knows.

"Butt Elf!" Ruffnut shouts, Tuffnut blinks breaking away from the stare looking to Ruff, she doesn't seem spooked, he looks back at the Red Death. Only two eyes are open,"T-Troll!" He shouts, hoping that was just him. The Red Death opens her mighty jaws, hot flames burst from them, straight for the twins. Ruffnut has to do most of the work clearing away from the blast, Tuff is reeling. Barf and Belch nearly singed.

Snotlout and Fishlegs start making a racket, its then she opens her other eyes. "Um this thing doesn't have a blind spot!" Fishlegs calls. The head of the massive dragon shakes, she's trying to knock them away, Hookfang swerves out of the way. Both riders clanking their weapons to their shields harder, the Red Death starts to be effected. "Its working!"  Snotlout cheers, "yeah, its working!" Fishlegs cheers as well. Only their dragons are also being effected. Hookfang can't keep in the air anymore, crashing against the very dragon their against, His rider landing on her head, and Hookfang spins trying to regain balance landing away. Snotlout nearly falls off the head of the Red Death, managing to right himself.

"I've lost power on the Gronkle! Snotlout! Do something!" Fishlegs tosses him his hammer, before Meatlug loses all control and barrels into the ground, landing roughly, "I'm okay!" Fishlegs shouts before Meatlug flips, crushing him. "Less okay!" Before the Red Death can step on the pair, Snotlout hits her in the eye with the hammer. She misses her target, it worked, so he starts hitting the eyes he can reach.

"I can't miss! What's wrong, buddy? Got something in your eye?"

She roars angry, nearly steping on Fishlegs again. Stormfly flys around, "Yeah! You're the Viking!" Astrid cheers Snotlout on, to which he pauses, looking up at her with a giddy little face, and swinging without looking. And missing. The dragon recovered, shakes her head. the boy goes flying nearly falling off, stopping his own descent by grabbing a piece of her crown like horns. His hammer falling below "Hey! Whoa!"

Ruff and Tuff fly past her again, he doesn't want to look at her, fearing whatever he saw, The dragon swings its tail at them, narrowly missing. Astrid nearly gets stomped on. The Red Death stomps once more, before bellowing a roar at them, shaking her head and tail. When a streak of black zips into the sky, "He's up!" Astrid calls. The twins fly to her, "get Snotlout out of there!"

"I'm on it!" Ruff calls.

"We're on it!" Tuff calls.

"Wait how do we?" Ruff looks at him.

"I have an idea" Tuff nods to her.

They fly straight towards him and the Red Death, both lowering a hand, Snotlout jumps, and they grab him. Astrid right behind them, until she wasn't, the maw of the Red Death opened, and like a vacuum tries to take Astrid and Stormfly out. Ominous whistling from the offspring of death and lightning itself, the villagers of berk brace themselves. Astrid near being eaten, before Toothless blasts the beast in the jaw. Stormfly is dropped from the air, Astrid barrels toward the rocks.

Just before she hits the ground, Toothless swoops in catching her, Toothless turns away from the rocks and waters, to gently set her down near the crowd, speeding back toward the battle. Rider and Dragon suddenly take a sharp incline, going straight up, before diving. Toothless harnesses a strong blast, the whistle echoes off the rocks. Before suddenly the Red Death is hit with a strike so powerful it knocks her off all four legs.

In the smoke, all is still. For but a moment. Before wings so large they envelop the sky open wide and tall. One beat of those wings nearly sends the mountains flying, the vikings staying where they stand by sheer will, as the massive dragon lifts off the ground. Followed by a furious roar, With surprising speed the queen of dragons gives chase, Toothless speeds around rock formations to slow her down, but those do nothing to stop her, the Red Death bursts through every column in her path.

Toothless zips past the crowd, many cheer, "Yeah!" Snotlout raises an axe, Ruffnut shaking Tuffnut's shoulders as she yells "Go!" To Hiccup. And then they brace as the rock face over the water explodes from the impact, Gobber actually shielding Tuffnut and Ruffnut who were behind him, Stoick shields Astrid and Snotlout. As debris flys over them. All of them look up as another rock formation is destroyed. Just when Toothless and Hiccup shoot into the sky.

The Red Death follows quickly, spewing fires across the skies. Before both Toothless and her dissapear in the clouds, for a moment the vague outline of the enormous dragon before nothing. Only hearing the roaring of the angered beast. All is silent, Tuffnut can't help the dread in his chest, this moment, this battle, could it all be wrong, what if his actions have killed Hiccup. and the Red Death he can't even begin to process what happened, but now there is no excitment, only fear stirs in him its way too quiet, he wants to help desperately, but in this moment he can do nothing.

Toothless's whistling blast is calming, a flash of purple in the clouds, before another. Over and over, its like lighting strikes, the clouds flash brightly. Before an enraged cry from the Red Death, and the clouds fill with fire. The skies burn red, the Red Death screeches in fury. And then the clouds are grey once more, and its quiet again. Tuff grabs Ruff's arm this time, she doesn't say anything, both merely watching the sky. Snotlout nearly jumps out of his skin as a roar erupts from the clouds, growing closer. Before the echo of a blast.

Toothless emerges from the gray, falling, followed by the massive form of the Red Death. The queen of dragons sees how close the ground is herself, splaying her wings out, the enormous wings cannot hold, the fire fight in the sky left them smoldering, they tear and tatter burning up, they hold no wind theres no stopping her descent. She opens her flaming jaws to cry out, Toothless manages to slip around her, as she falls faster to her demise. Slamming into the ground with a burst of flames, an explosion of fire and chaos. The clouds part from the impact.

Everyone braces once more, unable to see past the flames. Toothless and Hiccup emerge from the flames, flying away from them, trying to escape. Toothless's prosthetic tail fin barely holding on burns up the rest of the way. The body of the Red Death slowly falling down, its tail headed straight for them, theres no avoiding it. Both rider and Dragon separated mid air, over a lake of fire.

Hiccup falls back toward the flames, and Toothless pushes to get to him. Until neither are seen in the fire. Everything is quiet aside from the flames. They die down quickly, ashes falling over everything. Everyone is coughing from the smoke and ash. Stoick runs into the smoke and dying flames. Calling for his son. And when the smoke clears enough for everyone to see, Stoick is kneeling over Toothless, head down, there is no rider on the downed dragon.

The crowd is saddened, Astrid pushes past Tuffnut and anyone infront of her. Tuffnut tries to calm himself down, Hiccup has to be fine, Toothless wouldn't let him down. Even the other dragons look downtrodden, Barf and Belch rattle sadly. Toothless wakes, making a pained noise, blinking to look at Stoick.

"Oh, Son, I'm so sorry." Stoick apologized, his voice tight with grief. Toothless rumbles lightly, seeing the man mourning his only son. Before the Night fury lifts his wing, the other unwrapping from Hiccup, Toothless lets the chief take Hiccup from his protective grasp. The Chief drops his helmet immediately, checking for a heartbeat.

"He's Alive! You brought him back alive." Stoick gasps, voice breaking. Looking to Toothless with gratitude.

The crowd cheers, Hookfang, Meatlug, Stormfly, Barf and Belch happily cheer with the crowd too, chirps and rumbles and the few spooked vikings. Tuffnut can finally take a breath, Hiccup lived, he raises his arms in the air, when they drop back down he brushes the pouch on his hip, just some spare bandages and stuff just incase Snare ate the others, he forgot he had it on him.

"Thank you for saving my son" Stoick tells Toothless, before Gobber comes up behind him, "well, you know... most of him." To which Stoick looks at Gobber with a face that definitely says this isn't the time.

It takes Tuffnut a moment before everything clicks, too caught up in the sheer happiness of everything being alright. He pushes past Spitelout, and passes Astrid. Last time the trip back took a while, with the boats burnt, and Toothless down, and no way to carry Hiccup on the other dragons without saddles and such. The other teens had to go to berk with a few extra riders on their dragons to get more ships. Hiccup had gotten an infection and fever. He opens his pouch, before any other adult can pull him away from the chief, Stoick stops them.

"Let him be" Stoick trusts him. Seeing the pouch with cloth bandages and medicine, Tuffnut had made for Snares wounds. But it was really just what Gothi used for wounds in general, it wouldn't do anything special, but help sooth it and keep it from infection.

---☆---

"Hold still, just like that." Tuffnut pokes his tongue out in concentration, clipping the last piece together, the leather looked thick but he'll figure that out later. With all the snaps together, it fit like a glove. Snare sniffs it, it covered the tear, and fit over the joints it was small enough to slide over the part it needs too, molded to the ridges of the wing and with snaps to stay in place, his sewing skills were tested. he rather enjoyed the process. Snare chirps, and Tuffnut scratches the Nadder under the chin, he takes a breath. Before climbing onto Snare, the dragon stands.

The first few flaps were experimental, before Snare felt the confidence to run, spreading his wings, he gains air, lifting off the ground. Tuffnut lets out a surprised noise, it was working. And then they were over the waters, Snare lifts his head higher, closing his eyes, feeling the air and the sky. Tuffnut sighs, and does the same. Things were going to be okay.

Chapter Text

"Do you have to stare?"

Hiccup had questioned him, Tuffnut was honestly just proud, Hiccup's recovery was better then the last time, Tuff now understanding all the messy stuff of amputation, Gothi let him look after Hiccup's recovery. Of course the worst was past them, but Tuff had a reason to hang around Hiccup constantly, watch him work, how he was walking on the prosthetic Gobber made, Tuffnut had told Hiccup if he was to make a better one to make spares just incase. Of course Gobber wasn't in the room when he said that.

"I don't have to. I want to" Tuff grins, "besides its entertaining,  think you can make a thingy that can launch Mildew into the sky?"

Hiccup shoots him a look, "the elderly man that lives away from the village? Why?"

"Hiccup, Hiccup, Hiccup. Don't you know what a cranky old man can do? Especially Mildew. theres a reason he lives there"

"He does complain to my father alot, Alot. But that doesn't mean you and Ruffnut can launch him off Berk"

Tuff pouts, theres a few people he wants to throw into the ocean, he'll try not to, but that's a challenge in itself. Tuff looks over the plaza, its sort of chaos, dragons still getting used to living with vikings and vice versa. Looking to the store house, and spotting the man himself. "Actually He's complaining to your dad right now, looks like he's got a mob. Could really use that thingy I was talking about"

Hiccup breathes "just. stay here I'm going to see whats up"

"Whatever you say H!"

Tuffnut did not stay put, he knew how it was going to go, Stoick trying to store food for the freeze, and trying to deal with the dragons because they haven't made Berk dragon friendly despite the people being Dragon friendly now. Mildew riled the crowd, Stoick would try to defuse it, and Hiccup would take on something he couldn't handle alone. And sure Tuff liked the chaos, Bucket and Mulch losing a few fish to Terrible Terrors, Gronkles accidentally squishing carts they land on, Nadders trying to eat chickens, Nightmares lighting houses on fire. Not to mention three o'clock

So Mildew was the trigger to integrating Dragons and Vikings on Berk, Stoick wouldn't know how to start, Hiccup either really, but with alittle push in the right direction it should go smoother then. Well. What happened last time

The plan was to avoid the store house from being destroyed for the most part, the freeze was bad that winter he remembers. he isn't Astrid, so while he made a plan. Which he called Thinking like Hiccup. he went over what he'd say, talking to Barf and Belch like they were Hiccup. Frowning when they reply with a shrill and rattle.

"You're no help" he huffs.

Barf bumps his head against Tuffnut's side, Belch rumbles, Tuff shakes his head and hands them both a fish, he feels stuck, unable to come up with something. Astrid would know, and then a Monstrous Nightmare alights in his mind. He should Think Like Astrid.

So when Hiccup wakes the next morning after telling his father the night before that he'd handle the dragons. Its not just Toothless waiting for him to wake up, but one Tuffnut Thorston. Hiccup shoots up in his bed, shouting in surprise. "Uh.. why are you in my room?"

"Nevermind that H. I need to talk to you!" Tuffnut grins.

"Uhm. About?"

"The dragons!"

"I got it covered"

"No you don't"

"I Do. If anyone can handle them its me" Hiccup states.

"Well H. Theres only one of you, and like millions of them."

Hiccup looks at him, "oh Thor, you're right."

"Now before you freak out Hiccy let me show you something"

Hiccup listened and went over what Tuffnut had written down, and he liked the idea "Tuff, this is great! How did you come up with this?"

Tuffnut didn't really have an answer, instead deflecting to the plan, Hiccup would immediately put into play. Gathering the others, and going over the plan. Dragons naturally fish, why not let them help, and have dragon feeding stations, one or two for now, Move the three o'clock swarming to the fields for the farmers, dragons can herd smaller animals to help get them in their pens. It was possible, and Hiccup was not going to waste a moment.

It had worked perfectly, give or take a few Gronkles's stealing crops. But the store house was still fine, Stoick was proud of Hiccup and gifted him the old arena to train dragons, and Tuffnut got to enjoy seeing Mildew angrily stomp away. And spotting Gobber carving a little wooden duck, Tuffnut immediately remembered Gobber was going to be an issue as well, if only momentarily, but he could help avoid alot of problems.

Like Gobber giving the dragons ptsd, Gobber Making Saddles with weapons on them that knocked Barf and Belch out, Gobber nearly killing Hookfang. And naming Magnus an entirely different name then the one her parents had chosen. And sinking silent Sven's boat.

Tuffnut knew Gobber was great at alot, but somethings not so much. Like making weapons, saddles, catapults, weapons and knowing how to take care of teeth, especially Dragon's with toothaches. And not to mention Story telling. The man was a genius in his own right, he could read Gothi's writing without studying under her, he knew basic medical matters, he could make prosthetic limbs, and had the strength to hold a one ton beast by himself.

And honestly Gobber was like a father, well second father. Stoick takes first place, his own father in third. No, fourth. Alvin was third. And even then fourth place wasn't solid.

Tuffnut waits till Gobber is in the forge alone, the man making another sword, despite the growing pile of unclaimed weapons, no one wanted weapons because they still had their own, dragons hadn't melted or blown up their swords or maces for a bit, so Gobber had enough to resupply the whole village if needed. Tuffnut approaches him, the man sets aside the sword. "What can I do you for lad?"

Tuffnut would explain they needed saddles, like Toothless's, because flying for a long time without one hurts his back, Gobber lit up, immediately offering ideas like catapults on the saddles, Tuffnut loved catapults, but last time Barf and Belch were knocked out. So turning that down, and a few others Gobber got the idea, then Tuffnut briefly dropped a subtle hint that Hookfang was angry recently, and struggling to eat. Which was soft of a lie, Hookfang ate like he didn't need teeth, but he was in pain and angry about it. It got Gobber curious though, the next day the issue sorted itself out.

---☆---

"Atta boy Meatlug" Fishlegs said, he was hanging decorations watching Meatlug playing with the village children, roaring lightly at a boy in a gronkle costume, Tuffnut wasn't going to correct him, it was funny to let Meatlug correct that later.

It had been a week since the dragon academy opened, Snoggletog was near, the dragon perches decorated, Gobber incharge of decorations as Astrid and Stormfly covered the wooden tree in shields.

"Well done! Well done all of you!" Stoick stood proudly infront of his people, Tuffnut immediately knew, giving Belch a side hug quickly. "I never thought I'd live to see this day: Peace on the island of Berk. This will surely be the greatest hoilday we've ever seen."

The crowd cheers and laughs, the dragons as well. Before all the dragons suddenly snap their heads up to look at the sky, other dragons migrating, the vikings look the the sky as well "what the..?" Stoick questions.

"What in thor's name?" Gobber says, before Hookfang roars into the sky and takes off, the other dragons right behind him.

"Come back! What are you doing!?" Snotlout calls.

"What's going on?" "What's happening?" The crowd watches the dragons leaving.

"Wheres Hiccup?" Astrid looks around. Before looking to Stormfly, the Nadder ready to take off, "No, No, no, don't leave, Stormfly! Don't go! Please?" She begs her dragon to stay, but Stormfly takes off anyway.

Hiccup lands Toothless and is swarmed, Tuffnut slips out of the crowd, running into the woods, finding Snare's den empty. Tuffnut looks around, opening his pouch he still had Snare's wing sleeve, he'd taken it off to avoid irritation. He starts to panic, hoping Snare didn't try to fly away, when he hears a garbled call, And lets out a relieved sound, quickly running to the Nadder and checking him over. Before hugging Snare's neck, and moving to the wing, sliding on the sleeve. Snare tries to take off before its on all the way, Tuffnut hurries, cliping the final piece together Snare immediately takes off. Tuff lands on his rear from the gush of wind, looking to the sky.

---☆---

"Where'd they go?" "Snoggletog is ruined!" Listening to the adults go on about the dragons for the second time was just boring.

"Its not ruined! We're Vikings! We've been perfectly happy celebrating without dragons for generations. And there's no reason we can't do it again." Stoick announced, "now, we don't know where they've gone off to. But we have to have faith that they'll be back again soon. Am I Right?"

Gobber appears from no where, dressed in green and wearing antlers holding two lanterns "You're Right! We are Vikings! We're Tough!" Gobber raises his arm, bells ring, his hook replaced with bells. "...most of the time." The crowd laughs.

Tuffnut sits arms folded over the back of the chair, staring at Fishlegs guilty face, before Snotlout smacks Tuff on the shoulder, they all file out of the great hall before Gobber starts the Snoggletog songs, walking through the plaza, the teens grumble, "well that was depressing" Ruffnut huffs.

"I know, I was looking to spending the holiday with Stormfly." Astrid says.

Fishlegs starts whistling, Tuff turns to him, remembering what he said then, "what are you so happy about? Don't you miss Meatlug?" Saying it, despite knowing Fishlegs has Meatlug trapped in a shed. He feels bad about it, she should be on the rookery with the other dragons.

Fishlegs pauses "Me?" He squeaks, "oh, yeah." Fishlegs starts to fake cry the best he can "I miss him so much!" Stopping as everyone stares, he raises his hand to block out his face. "Well. Good Night." He speeds away. Five pairs of eyes on his back.

Astrid suddenly gasps, standing infront of the others "I've got an idea. Let's come up with a bunch of new hoilday traditions. You know, to bury the sadness!" She says, Snotlout and Ruffnut groan.

"Actually, Astrid might be onto something." Hiccup says.

Tuffnut looks up the hill to see Toothless pacing, hating what he's about to say but it got things moving the first time around, "easy for you to say. Your dragon can't go anywhere without you." To which Hiccup immediately looks to Toothless.

"Must be nice" Ruffnut says. Before leaving, Tuffnut follows her home. the migration to the rookery means alot to the dragons, its good for them, and he'll respect that. But it still hurt, like it did every year it happened, now its double that, Hurt for each dragon. Also the void without Chicken, he'll count the days.

The next morning wasn't any better, Tuffnut wanted to avoid Astrid at any cost, but Ruffnut wasn't letting him disappear. Astrid came around the corner, three of the village children making a snow gronkle, little Gustav climbing to the top of it. "Yak nog, get your Yak nog!" Astrid said, Tuffnut could smell it from there, the odor stuck with him for seven days last time, Ruffnut saw him trying to get away, hooking an arm around his neck to pull him back, Tuffnut Struggled in her hold, but Ruffnut was always the stronger twin.

"Come on get a frothy, delicious cup of cheer! Hey! You guys" Astrid spotted them, running over, Tuff gave up accepting defeat. "Try this tasty new beverage I made for the hoilday. Its yak nog!"

Tuffnut gags, and she pours some into a cup, its chunky and all sorts of wrong, Tuff gags again. "No thanks. I'll Yak nog all over the place if I drink that"

"Maybe you'd rather taste a punch in the face?"

"Yes."

Before she can do more than send him a glare Snotlout approaches her, "Astrid, it sounds delightful. I'd live a mug"

Tuffnut pinching his nose, grins alittle, not his fault If Snotlout drinks something he wouldn't even touch with a stick. As Snotlout chugs the entire cup full, Astrid sends Tuffnut a look, he can read it as her being smug because Snotlout thinks its good, despite the boy literally forcing himself to swallow the concoction. Looking ill. "Urg.. you can really taste the yak.." Snotlout manages to say setting the cup back on the tray.

Tuffnut is quite literally shoved out of the way. sending Fishlegs a glare, "Yum! What is that?" Fishlegs asks cheery. Astrid immediately offers him some, "you wanna try some? Its my new traditional drink." Snotlout shakes his head to Fishlegs from behind her, "oh, you know...um..suddenly and inexplicably changed my mind!"

"Well you don't know what you're missing. I bet Hiccup will love this" she says passing Snotlout and the Twins.

"Are you crying?" Ruffnut turns to Snotlout, who is holding his stomach.

"I probably would be too, did you smell that"  Tuff says.

"Oh yeah. Would've been funny, you should've drank some"

"Ew, don't make me barf"

To which Snotlout promptly runs off, holding his mouth.

---☆---

Three days, Toothless had left three days ago. Hiccup had been staring at the sky for all three. Tuff didn't blame him, he would be too if he didn't know better.

It was honestly boring, and cold. And he wasn't completely sure what the game plan was. Tuff was going to make sure Fishlegs would never do it again, or try.

Tuff only had to look up to see Hiccup being taken away by Meatlug, the dragon determined to get to the rookery. Even with her eggs in the shed. Tuffnut immediately stood, racing to the shed. "Meatlug! What about presents?" Fishlegs calls out to his dragon, Tuffnut passing him. Unfortunately Ruffnut was right behind him, followed by Snotlout and Astrid.

"I can't believe him" Fishlegs says.

"You can't believe him!? You kidnapped your dragon!" Astrid hisses.

"That makes it sound so mean.."

Ruffnut starts going through the hay pile, Tuffnut doing the same, "hey guys..."

"He flew away the second he was unleashed!" Astrid states.

"I'm 72 percent sure he wanted to stay." Fishlegs says.

Tuffnut rolls his eyes, "Guys!" He snaps at them.

Three heads snap in the twins direction, "woah Meatlug barfed up a pile of rocks!" Fishlegs said.

"You're such an idiot, those aren't rocks. Your dragon laid eggs" Ruffnut tells him.

"Hey, wait. I bet thats why the dragons left." Astrid spoke picking one of the exposive eggs up. "To lay their eggs."

"But boy dragons don't lay eggs." Fishlegs says, confused.

"Yeah, your boy dragon. Is a girl dragon." Ruff says.

"Okay that actually explains a few things"

"Hey everyone's missing their dragons, right?"

"No! Nope!" Tuffnut stops her, taking the egg from her hands. "Eggs. Not a new axe A."

"Come on Tuffnut, it'd be great! A new Snoggletog tradition! Everyone will love it!"

"No! Do you even know what these eggs will do!?"

"Hatch?" Snotlout says, "yeah, Hatch." Astrid turns back to Tuff. "Just let her do it Tuff, so she'll stop bugging us" Ruffnut groans.

Tuffnut grabs the empty fish basket, stares at them all, before shoving the pile in the basket and running past Fishlegs, "hey those are Meatlugs eggs!"

Tuff didn't actually think this through, the eggs were heavy, and he was, well a twig on legs with little more muscle then Hiccup, and thats not much. And Astrid is. Astrid. Terrifying valkerie. And the other three.

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'LL DO!" he shouts, panicking as he looks back, Astrid was right behind him.

Why was he preventing glorious chaos for this, well, he didn't want to spend the winter freezing again, he hated the cold, and honestly Meatlug needed a bit more respect. She was chained in a shed for days, her eggs can at least hatch normally this time.

Astrid grabs the back of his vest, pulling him back, why was it more terrifying then alot of the battles he was ever in, he tried to twist out of it, or juke her, but its not like his body understood the idea, he hasn't trained for things like this yet, actually he never trained to face Astrid like this before. She tries to take the basket, he clutches it to his chest, one pops out the top of  the basket, Tuffnut's eyes go wide as it falls.

Astrid lets go of the basket to catch the egg, and immediately Tuffnut starts running again once he saw the egg didn't splat.

He lost one, but he couldn't let her have the batch, she'll thank him later. Tuff spent the afternoon hiding in the forge, with Gobber's trough, filled with water. He dumped the eggs in, hoping the water was warm and well deep enough for no fireworks.

Peeking out of the forge occasionally, Snotlout or Ruffnut stalking around, Astrid passed once, and he hasn't peeked since. But once he heard an explosion he knew it was time, one by one the eggs break open with little bursts, the water bubbling up and hot. But soon he had a bunch of tiny Meatlugs crawling around the forge.

Getting them all back in the basket was a challenge, three kept crawling out so he carried them, meeting a crowd of berkians looking at Snotlout's burning house, Fishlegs holding the other baby dragon. Astrid looks at him, "you knew didn't you!"

"No. But I told you not to. Not my fault" he hands Fishlegs the babies.

Stoick grumbles pinching the bridge of his nose staring at the fire, "Ah, Gobber, this is a disaster."

"Ah, it's not so bad."

"Oh, not that bad? Theres fire spreading, The dragons have gone and left us. Let's face it, this holiday is a complete-" Stoick pauses, everyone's staring at the sky "What are these people looking at?" He looks up himself, "What is that?"

In the night sky, a looming shadow of beating wings, and the figurehead of an old ship being carried. Ropes held by dragons.

"It's Hiccup!" Stoick says.

"And our dragons!" Astrid points

Vikings cheer, happy to see their dragons, the ship lands, the dragons dropping the ropes, the Vikings look at the boat for a moment. Before baby dragons spill out, immediately everyone melts, happiness and joy, and overwhelming cuteness.

Hookfang makes his way to Snotlout, lifting him off the ground, "Yeah! Whoo-hoo!"

"MEATLUG!" Fishlegs cheers. Holding all of her babies. She lands infront of him, and spits up fish for her young.

"Stormfly! You're back! Oh! And there are babies!" Astrid can't tell who she wants to scratch first.

Barf and Belch nuzzle Tuffnut and Ruffnut, both riders happy their dragon returned, "don't ever do that again, you left me with him" Ruffnut grins, "hey!" Tuffnut laughs. Picking up a baby zippleback.

"Hahaha! Well done, son!" Stoick boasts, pulling Hiccup into a bone crushing hug.

"Thanks, Dad!" Hiccup says gasping for air once on the ground.

"Everyone! Grab your dragons! To the Great Hall! We finally have something to celebrate!"

"This is the best holiday ever! Hows a baby! Whose a cutie baby!" Fishlegs plays with two of Meatlugs babies.

Snotlour right beside him, playing with a baby Nightmare, booping it on the nose. Looking around first making sure no one is watching.

"Hiccup, I know this must be really hard for you seeing everyone with their dragons. But you really did a wonderful thing. Thank you." Astrid says approaching Hiccup. She gives him a kiss and a hug. Pulling away, Hiccup sighs. "Astrid, where did Toothless go?"

"I don't know." She says, spotting the Night fury creeping through the great halls doors, she smirks. "Wow, man, I wouldn't wanna be you right now! I mean you brought back everyone's dragon except yours!"

"Yeah, you know, this is not helping, at all." Hiccup frowns.

Astrid spins him around, to see Toothless approaching him, eyes big, Hiccup lights up. "TOOTHLESS! Hey, bud!" Hiccup literally runs to the dragon, hugging him

"Stoick!" Gobber says, gesturing to Toothless and Hiccup.

Pulling away from the hug, Hiccup scowls, upset Toothless was gone so long "Bad dragon! Very bad dragon! You scared me to death. Don't ever stay away that long again, and what is in your mouth?"

Suddenly the sopping wet helmet is placed on Hiccup's head, dragon drool and ocean water. Snotlout, Astrid, and Ruffnut make faces and disgusted noises.

"Yeah, you found my helmet. What-hey! You found my helmet! That's where you've been? Buddy, thank you! You are amazing!" Hiccup hugs his dragon once more, happy.

"Happy Snoggletog!" Astrid cheers.

---☆---

"Ew! Why!" Tuff had just made his way to Snare's den, the Nadder immediately running up to him, and chirping, before spitting up chewed fish for him, like a baby dragon. Tuffnut looks at the Nadder, before hugging him, the Deadly Nadder nuzzles his shoulder.

"I'm not eating that though. I'm not Hiccup" Tuffnut grins. This was a pretty good Snoggletog, even better the second time around.

Chapter Text

"So why am I helping?"

"Because the sooner this gets done the faster we can blow something up" Tuff answers.

Ruffnut shrugs, "okay, good because its not the same to blow stuff up without you"

Tuffnut pouts taking the sandbag, "you blew stuff up, Without me?"

"Brother this blast was only forty percent my fault, there for Not on purpose, besides my dear brother nut. It was very lackluster without you" Ruffnut only once looked to the sky with a clenched fist, dramatically.

Tuffnut takes another sandbag from her, the pile growing, "once this task is finished, Sister nut we will cause an explosion so large all of berk shakes!"

"Tuffnut!" Stoick's voice makes the twins stand up straight, the chief and Gobber hurrying over, "is Gothi in?"

"Um yeah she's been up there all day" Tuffnut answers the chief, setting another sandbag on the pile, "shes preparing for the.. storm" Gobber and Stoick already started ascending the stairs before he could finish talking.

"How many more?" Ruffnut asks.

"She said enough for each step"

"How many steps?"

"don't know didn't count"

"You idiot, now we'll never get done" Ruffnut elbows his shoulder.

"Well I'll go count them. You keep doing this!" Tuffnut flashes her a smirk.

"No! You're trying to get out of your work, I'll count them!" Ruffnut narrows her eyes.

Both Twins drop the bags, and fight to get up the stairs. The creaky stairs a bit off putting as the two are shoulder to shoulder, Ruffnut on the inside of the stairs,Tuffnut on the outside of the stairs. He pushes her to get ahead, she pushes away from the wooden beam and grabs his ankle. Tuffnut tumbles, looking back at her he kicks at the hand grabbing his ankle.

"No fair! I'm not grabbing your ankles!"

"I didn't shove you to the side either!" Ruffnut replies, it sounds alot more bitter then it should have for just a push.

He pauses, "wait, you don't mean now.. do you?"

"Yeah Tuff. As much as I hate your smelly butt, I miss it just being us, me and you born together, now you're always somewhere else. Gothi, Hiccup, the Dragons, even Mom! When I get to hang out with my Brother he's always thinking about something else!"

Tuffnut slides down a few steps, to sit next to her. "Ruff.. I miss hanging out with my Sister"

"So why don't you? Ditch this and lets go do something cool"

"I- can't.." Tuffnut looks at her, "Ruff I am needed here. Like I'm supposed to do something, and I can't just.. walk away"

Ruffnut looks away from him, "everyone else gets to be special, Hiccup's the future chief, Astrid's berks pride, hel even Fishlegs and Snotlout have things! But before, we didn't need special. Now I feel like you left me behind bro"

"I'm not leaving you behind sis, I'm just catching up"

"What does that mean?"

"You've always been stronger and-" she stops him, "stop. If you're saying what i think you're saying you're wrong."

"Ruff I'm saying you're strong, stronger then me, you're the strong twin, even smarter- ow!" He cradles his arm where she punched him.

"I said to stop"

Tuffnut looks over the village, looking over the academy, and the trees. And a bright idea sprouts. Well an idea, he's not completely set on it but its what he has.

"I think I have an idea that'll help us both.. we can train."

"More work?"

"Listen, we train together, we both get stronger, I teach you some of what Gothi taught me, you teach me stuff too! We'll be unstoppable!" Tuffnut grins.

"You seem sure about it.." Ruffnut mutters, thinking for a moment, "okay, fine. if this fails horribly, I get to braid your hair like mine. And I propose a Thorston Challenge!"

"Well Sister Its not going to fail, but I accept!"

Ruffnut looks happy with that, "okay, lets just finish what we were doing, I want to hurry up and blow up that old hunting shack in the raven woods"

Tuffnut smiles, and follows her back down the stairs, the two continue to pile bags of sand, not exactly knowing when to stop.
At least until Stoick's voice catches their attention, "Ruffnut, Tuffnut, will you please go fetch my son." The man said, as he was on the last few stairs he didn't sound or look happy at all, Gobber right behind him.

Tuffnut drops the bag he was holding, "On it!" Both twins quickly abandoned the task for the new one, because running across berk is more fun then storm duty. Finding the other four on the watch tower, like normal, because its just better then hanging out in the academy. It was the perfect timing to watch Astrid slam her elbow into the wooden beam, snow dropping on Snotlout the boy yelling "Hey!" As a pile drops on him.

"Hey, Hiccup! Your dad's looking for you!" Tuffnut calls.

"He looked Angry!" Ruffnut calls.

"He's looked angry since the day I was born!" Hiccup calls back, standing. "But I'm sure theres no connection" he says getting on Toothless and flying off.

---☆---

"Come on Big boy you can do it! You'll like them if you get to know them." Hiccup says, attempting to drag a yak to a Monstrous nightmare and a Nadder.

"The dragons look Scary, but they're just big Scary reptiles." Astrid says to the animals.

Tuffnut suddenly remembers what he said then, it was funny, but he feels like theres something else. Regardless he says it, "Just like Snotlout" he chuckles.

Snotlout whose directly beside him, grabs the front of his tunic, lifting him off the ground with one hand. Tuffnut looks at him in utter surprise, he did he forget this, its both terrifying and amazing. Snotlout holds a fist back eyes narrowed, Tuffnut wasn't sure if he was about to be punched or not.

"You're the guy. Right?" Is what Snotlout says.

Tuffnut actually would prefer not to be punched as of right now, and while he wasn't sure, he wasn't willing to risk it, shaking his head and raising his pitch a bit "no" he says, kicking his feet alittle as they dangle off the ground.

Snotlout sets him down when the Monstrous nightmare and Deadly Nadder snap at each other and roar. Scaring the animals.

"Okay what if we looked at this from an animal's perspective?" Fishlegs says, Tuffnut nods about to say what the chickens probably see, when Fishlegs gets on hands and knees, and starts crawling around.

"Oh hello Mister dragon" Fishlegs crawls toward the Monstrous nightmare, "I'm just alittle Sheep here. Walking, doing Sheep things." He starts beating like a sheep, the dragon looks at him confused, Fishlegs looks to Hiccup. "He doesn't really seem so big and-" Fishlegs looks back as the nightmare roars at him, the teen scrambles away screaming, hiding under Meatlug.

"Sorry, but I'm siding with the Sheep on this one"

"Look I've learned once you have a positive experience with something you're afraid of, it isn't so scary anymore" Hiccup says ushering the sheep toward the dragons "okay, there you go boys. Over here" he starts walking away, "thats what we'll have to do with these Sheep"

"Uh Hiccup-" Tuffnut tries.

"We gotta prove to them they have nothing to fear-" Hiccup says, getting cut off by the Nightmare setting the sheep on fire. He runs over with Astrid to put them out "Oh! At this rate we'll never get any Milk or Eggs!"

---☆---

The storm arrived faster then expected, winds blowing doors open, wind chill that makes your bones clatter, the sky dark with clouds. The store house not stocked completely, the villagers worried about surviving devastating winter. All hope on Hiccup and the others.

Hiccup was currently dodging chickens as they ran under him, spinning as a sheep knocks into his good leg, the yaks running around the academy shrieking, all of the animals just spooked, in terror they run about. Tuffnut tries to grab a chicken but trips as a sheep runs under him, falling face first into the stone floor.

Hiccup turns to the riders, Tuffnut rubbing his nose as Hiccup starts, "Another way for the animals to overcome their fear, is to show them that Dragons are afraid of things too!"

"Remember Magnus the merciless? He was a pretty scary guy" Astrid says, looking to the others "I was afraid of him until I learned he was afraid of the dark"

"So during the day, Merciless" Tuff says.

"And during the Night. Tuffnut." Ruff grins.

Tuffnut elbows her in the side, embarrassed. She shouts in response to his attack. Tuffnut had actually gotten over his fear of the dark a long time ago, he just started having very bad dreams recently, ones where he dies, or the Red Death boring into his mind. Or his friends dying. Maybe he was scared of the dark again, he felt humiliated. "Thats a real problem." He tells her.

"I'm just saying, knowing he was afraid of something made him less scary to me." Astrid continued.

"Yes! So lets show the yaks that dragons are afraid of things too." Hiccup picks up two eels from a basket, Tuffnut immediately knows where this is going.

Hiccup holds an eel toward the Nadder, in which it immediately hisses and turns away, the Nightmare shrieks and cowers. The yaks just watch and mur, Astrid speaks "I think its working."

Hiccup smiles and nods to her, Tuffnut is waiting for disaster. And Hiccup drops an eel, it slithers toward the Nightmare, the dragon rears up roaring, tail slapping a sheep across the ring. "Ah!" Hiccup shouts both hands on his head.

"Don't worry" Astrid says.

"Worried?! I'm not worrried! Do I look worried?"

When lighting suddenly strikes, and all of the animals, including the dragons start running and causing chaos, Hiccup is carrying the chickens Astrid is prying a sheep away from the Nightmare.

"Calm down! Get back over here." Astrid says pushing the snout of the Monstrous nightmare.

"You know what I'm Learning from this?" Hiccup says walking up the the chaos holding two chickens. "Chickens are really, well. Chicken."

"What if we showed them how much they have in common with the dragons?" Fishlegs offers. Everyone stares at him. "They both lay eggs right? A Terrible terror laid one Last week!"

"No! What is with you guys and the eggs!" Tuffnut snatches it from Fishlegs grip, "No! One its a week old! Two Chickens are delicate! And Three this thing's about to hatch!" Tuffnut panics as it cracks in his hands, running and tossing the egg in a tough just as it bursts sending boiling water splattering to the ground.

"Okay sorry. Didn't think about that" Fishlegs sheepishly says.

Tuffnut fishes the baby Terror out of the water, and hands it to Fishlegs. "Well now you can"

Gobber and Mulch enter the academy, snow starting to fall rapidly, "everybody out the storm is here!"

"Wait! We haven't made any progress with the animals!" Hiccup protests.

Gobber picks up a chicken, "your father wants everyone in the great hall!"

"Take the others, I need to stay and keep working with the animals, their still afraid."

"You can't get eggs from a frozen chicken. We've got to get the animals in the barn!"

Prompting the riders to saddle up, Of course flying in a snowstorm wasn't great, the dragons putting the yaks down, Gobber holding the sheep, Gobber turns as lightning strikes the air. The barn is buried. "Well so much for the barn."

"There's no other place to hold them!" Mulch shouts.

"The great hall!" Hiccup shouts pointing.

"So we're going to have the dragons and the animals under the same roof?" Mulch asks. "We know that won't work"

"We have no Choice! Lets go!"

The snowfall to great to fly with both the riders and animals on the dragons, so they start walking, managing to keep the animals in a herd perfectly fine until lightning hits a tree, dropping infront of Stormfly, the Nadder swipes her tail across Hookfang's snout, her spines hurting him. The Nightmare roars and flares up. The animals panic and run.

"Hey! I've got this under control!" Snotlout shouts, putting his hands out to stop a charging yak. A massive failure, he is thrown and stepped on. By three different yaks. "Okay, everything hurts.."

Fishlegs is being spun around when two yaks run in opposite directions, nearly squishing him. Then being stepped on by two sheep and Ruffnut as she chases them. Who gets a face full of chicken, the terrified bird clinging to her hair and helmet. Hiccup sliping and falling chasing a sheep.

Tuffnut was already getting on Belch's saddle, watching the stubborn leader he has stand and immediately go to mount Toothless. Gobber protesting, shouting as Hiccup takes off. Gobber turns to Astrid for help only to see her taking off too, followed by the twins, Snotlout and Fishlegs.

"Get back here! All of you!"

Following the night fury into the blizzard, Tuffnut couldn't see Stormfly too well, and Toothless was a dot. Hookfang was only visible behind them because he was in flames, which Tuffnut was jealous. He hated the cold, the very cold, and colder then cold. In all his wisdom he didn't put on any extra clothes, or anything to help from the cold, his teeth chattered louder then Ruffnut's.

Hiccup yells for them to spilt up and cover more ground, and Fishlegs begs to swing by his hut for a heavy coat. Tuffnut couldn't feel his face, and he had actual concerns on frostnip, sure the first time they were fine and no one lost any fingers, but this isn't last time, mistakes can be made. Thats what worries him.

"There they are! Come on!" Hiccup shouts over the whistling of the wind. Toothless diving down the hill.

"Yaks to the left!" Fishlegs shouts.

"Chickens! To the right!" Snotlout yells, Hookfang speeding past Meatlug. Causing the gronkle to spin in a circle.

"Chickens, over here!" Snotlout lowers the massive dragon just above the terrified birds, "follow me this way, come on!"

Hookfang is too low, the dragon takes the liberty to fly higher, "Wait! Where are you going?" Snotlout tries to lower Hookfang back toward the chickens and both dragon and rider nearly crash into a tree.

"Sheep! Hey, Sheep! This way! Baa!" Fishlegs calls to the sheep, "baaa baa! Hey, its working! Baa!" Fishlegs is so focused on the sheep, Both he and Meatlug hit a downed tree.

"I got them!" Astrid and Stormfly fly past Fishlegs and Meatlug. "Now!" Firing spines in a circle around the sheep, like a pen.  "Gotcha!" Only for Snotlout and Hookfang to destroy it in their frenzied flying, unable to control how they fly.

"Hey! Snotlout you're all over the place!"

"You try herding chickens with a dragon that doesn't listen to you!"

Astrid spots the sheep on a slope, "Hiccup Stray sheep!" Her voice strains over the wind. Toothless sails past her, just as the smallest sheep slides off the cliffside. The night fury swoops down in time to snatch the sheep from the air. Setting it on level ground, "good job bud"

"Hiccup the storm's getting worse! I can't see anything!" Astrid yells.

Tuffnut shivering, snatches another chicken from the snow, Ruffnut had about three in her arms, "Chickens aren't that warm!" She whines, "they've been walking in the snow! And tiny! Look at them they need us to warm them up! Not the other way around!" Tuffnut responded. Setting another chicken in her arms.

Hiccup has Toothles send out a plasma blast, "stray yaks! Twelve o'clock!"

Tuffnut and Ruffnut both turn Barf and Belch, "I see them! They are huge!" Tuffnut smirks, knowing full well those aren't yaks, but he is miserable and messing with Gobber and Stoick is funny when he has an excuse. Besides they were probably as lost as the teens they were looking for. Barf and Belch dive, Tuffnut giggles, holding a chicken on his lap. Ruffnut doesn't hear it over the wind, or the chickens.

Barf and Belch grab Stoick and Gobber, "I got the Yaks!" Tuffnut sings alittle, his ears red from the cold. "Put me down Right Now!" Stoick shouts, both twins look back, Tuffnut couldn't help but giggle again, trying to keep a straight face. Lowering Barf and Belch some to let the two down. Stoick and Gobber are dropped to the snow. Stoick lands on his feet, Gobber lands on his face.

"Do I lool like a yak to you!" Gobber says, suspiciously looking like a yak, the yak right next to him murs and walks away.

The teens all land around Stoick, Ruffnut and Tuffnut left the chickens with Barf and Belch, the dragon way warmer then their scrawny selves, the chickens mostly agreed huddling under the Zippleback. Hiccup dismounting Toothless, "you shouldn't be out here Hiccup!" The chief says.

"Dad! I'm sorry I let you down!"

"Its not your fault, son. I'm taking you back."

"Which way?" Gobber looks around, the trees aren't even visible.

"Follow our tracks" Stoick says, before remembering there is no visible tracks.

"So much for that Idea." Gobber huffs.

"Sir.. what do we do now?" Fishlegs approaches Stoick, he looks cold. Huddling near Astrid and Hiccup. All three teens shivering. Stoick looks to the other three teens, they are also shaking like leaves. Teeth clattering. Stoick looks to Gobber who looks concerned for the kids, "Everyone, Come together" Stoick pulls Hiccup to him, his son Freezing, Astrid and Fishlegs huddle up to him, Gobber pushing the other three to the chief, arms extending to keep Tuffnut and Snotlout close, Ruffnut already joining the huddle party.

The teens are embraced by the chief and the blacksmith, Tuffnut couldn't even complain that Snotlout's cold shoulder was pressed against his, it was better then just standing in the blizzard. As much as he hates this. He knows this was the only way for everything to work out this time, so he clings to Ruff and Snotlout, if it wasn't so cold he'd probably love the group hug, actually he does love it, regardless if he couldn't feel his toes and face.

He hears Toothless's little rumbles to the other dragons, letting out a relieved sigh, the dragons all stand, Barf and Belch with their little posse. They approach the humans like baby dragons, extending their wings like a dome, forming a circle around them.

"What are they doing?" Stoick asks in wonder.

"They're protecting us" Hiccup says.

"Its their natural instinct" Astrid follows.

The dragons each blast the snow directly infront of them, and behind the humans. Toothless hears the beating of the sheep, and breaks away from the group, running up to the one sheep that trusts him, and pushes it toward the warmth.

The rest of the animals watch on, cold, and scared, the little sheep slowly follows Toothless, looking at the other dragons, it sees no threat, it beats to the other animals, walking up to the humans. Slowly all the animals huddle in, more chickens, sheep, and yaks. Tuffnut and Ruffnut bumped by the yaks, Though its nothing to complain about the fluffy beasts are actually warm.

"Your dragons are really something, son." Stoick looks at Hiccup with pride.

"Yeah, they are."

---☆---

After sleeping in the snow all night with the warmth of the dragons, animals and the others, After bringing all the animals to the great hall, and being checked over by multiple people, and a nice warm drink. Tuffnut slipped away unnoticed, actually putting on a heavy coat. He grabs a bucket of fish, and makes his way to raven point.

Finding Snare's den buried in snow, the starts to dig, only to find the wing of the dragon stretched over the entrance. He slips under it, the inside of the den surprisingly warm. Snare chirps waking up, sniffing Tuffnut's face, it huffs blowing air at him. "Hey I was worried about you" Tuffnut whines, the Nadder licks his face.

"EH! gross!" He swipes at the dragon drool.

The Nadder sits wing still rasied to the den opening. He looks so much better then he did, alot more healthy, wounds healed, and weight put back on. Tuff looks at the leather on Snare's wing, he hates that it looks thick and uncomfortable, Snare has definitely picked at it trying to get an itch, but everytime he takes it off before leaving the Nadder can't hunt or fly like he should. "One day I'll find something more comfortable, for now lets get that off while you're holding up here"

Tuffnut offers the bucket to Snare, as he unbuckles the leather sleeve, sliding it off as gently as he can. The Deadly Nadder only focused on the fish, getting his fill. "There, I bet that feels better" Tuffnut says, The Nadder chirps, and nudges him with his snout, Tuffnut smiles warmly, and gently scratches under the dragon's chin.

"I'm starting to feel like everything is going to be alright"

Chapter Text

Stripping thick cloth down for smaller applications, it was tedious and time consuming. But it was his task, Gothi wasn't even in the hut, she left him to do this. She went to speak with Stoick. He was bored, and he hated being bored, it reminded him of being alone, no dragons, after Chicken passed away, and everyone else had their own things. While he had silence.

He tried not to dwell on it, he'd done half of what she requested he do, at this point the sound of tearing fabrics was grating on the ears. He stopped for a moment, looking at the halved cloth, pushing it to the side. Its quiet, the space normally comes with the clicking and knocking of Gothi's staff, and the occasional Gobber rambles.

The sudden banging on the door has him jumping from his seat, knee hitting the table, and his elbow knocking against a jar of Pine sap, which tumbles to the floor inelegantly. Glass breaking over a vase of Sneezewart powder, Tuffnut rubs his knee and scowls, looking at the mess.

"Come on Bro! Hiccup says we're going to train! I don't want to get left behind!" Ruffnut's voice says through the door.

Tuffnut looks at the mess, and then the door. Ultimately he pushes the rest of the broken glass in the vase, and puts it to the side setting a cloth over the top. He'll take care of it later. Rushing out the door, meeting Ruffnut at the bottom of the stairs and racing to the academy.

The others already on their dragons, Hiccup explaining to Snotlout what the training is for, commutation between Rider and Dragon. And if Tuffnut remembers correctly out of all of them it was Hiccup, himself and Ruffnut that didn't fail. He was proud of that, still is. It was also the same training session that Fishlegs apparently was pantsed by Hiccup, not on purpose. But definitely hilarious at the time he heard about it. He felt like he was forgetting something, but shrugged and got on Belch.

"Look who is late. Again." Snotlout says.

"Snotlout, he was helping Gothi, I'm sure you'd like the extra help when you get horribly injured." Hiccup speaks. It was definitely odd, to Tuff at least, how it was, is different from how it is. He wasn't expected of much then, praise was rare, and someone defending him that wasn't Ruffnut was definitely rare.

"Yeah, well. Whatever, let's just go" Snotlout replies.

Hiccup flew out on Toothless first, followed by Astrid and Stormfly. Fishlegs and Meatlug, Snotlout and Hookfang and then the Twins, Barf and Belch.

Hiccup chose the denser woods for a reason, the thick trees were hard to maneuver, meaning quick thinking and trust. Hiccup flew down a slope, looking back at the others, "Follow me! Low level evasive maneuvers"

Following Hiccup wasn't hard, well for now, it was just a few small turns and avoidances. Until Toothless turned sharply, avoiding a rather large tree, Hookfang on his tail, unfortunately did not turn in time, narrowly missing the tree as Snotlout screams "Hey! What are you doing!?" To the dragon that was trying to avoid a crash, Hookfang flew into the branches of another tree, and another, and so on.

"Are you trying to kill me!" Snotlout shouts at Hookfang, the dragon roars in response. "We gotta go back. I think you missed a branch." And in response to that Hookfang dives into the lush of trees below with a screaming rider on his back. "Got it!"

Tuffnut distracted by Snotlout's glorious display missed Fishlegs crashing into a tree once more, its surprising how fast the exercise fell apart. Ruffnut and him stuck near Toothless but not so close, unlike Astrid and Stormfly, who were flying past Hiccup, two trees broken into an arch, Astrid yells "Stormfly up-!"

"NO! Astrid! Trust her!" Tuffnut shouts, he couldn't even explain why he shouted it, be probably would have for Fishlegs, or Hiccup but Hiccup doesn't need to be told to Trust his Dragon. Ruffnut and Hiccup look at him.

Astrid clings to Stormfly's saddle, instead of being launched over like last time. Stormfly easily flys under the broken trees, instead of Astrid nearly being impaled by a branch this time. "You were right, Stormfly. It was down" Astrid pats Stormfly's side "ah, I could have died"

"Could have died? I Would have Died!" Snotlout says flying up beside her. Removing a twig from his face.

"Thats a good look for you." Astrid chuckles, Snotlout immediately puts the twig back.

"Has Anyone seen Fishlegs?" Hiccup asks.

"I saw him yesterday does that count?" Ruffnut says. Hiccup immediately takes off to look for Fishlegs and Meatlug.

---☆---

Of course, he totally forgot, how could he forget. Torch. He was hardly paying attention to the flaming squirrel story, because that baby typhoomerang was a problem, adult Torch is cool, baby Torch is not. The dragons knew that, it was also very obvious its a baby dragon, small body big claws, big head, shorter legs. They just had alot of baby dragons on berk like two months ago. And if Tuffnut knew anything it was typhoomerangs grew alot faster then other dragons, and that a mother typhoomerang was one of the most dedicated dragons for raising their young.

"Doesn't look like a flaming squirrel to me" he said, looking at Torch, the little dragon was definitely going to be a menace, mostly just for being here.

"We have no idea what its capable of!" Fishlegs was giddy. "Theres no telling what it might do!"

Tuffnut had a flashback to Torch lunging at him and biting his face, blinking he looked back at the baby dragon, he really didn't want to have another dragon attack his face, knowing its supposed to happen. As everyone chatters staring at the little thing, Tuffnut thinks he doesn't have to, he changed some things already. Gothi could thack him a few times, he'd take a staff over teeth anyday.

"Ya know he's- it. It looks like a baby dragon" Tuffnut shrugs. Definitely overing thinking what he says.

"Really? I don't remember any of the baby nightmares being able to flame up" Snotlout mentions.

"Well its clearly not a nightmare" Tuffnut stares.

"Guys Guys, this is serious. We have to figure out what to do with him. He's hurt and scared." Hiccup says, picking up the baby dragon with razor sharp talons. "Once he gets comfortable he'll settle"

"Um, new species, remember? We don't actually know what he'll do." Fishlegs says.

"Well somebody's got to take him home" Astrid says.

As much as Tuff wants to get it over with and take Torch back to Torch's mother before she burns the forest and tries to kill them, he knows this is important. Hiccup and Fishlegs documenting new species of dragons starts here, them nerding out and being linked at the hip when something new shows up was honestly nice to watch, ideas that bounced off each other so fluidly. Plus Torch was a small weapon of razors, fangs and an ever searching death sentence, he wasn't going to take him.

Everyone backs up, not willing to deal with the claws Hiccup currently had in his fur vest. "Well Big guy, here's your somebody" Hiccup holds Torch out.

---☆---

Night flying was something he was beginning to enjoy, the stars and the cool sky, Snare seemed happy just to fly, or fly with Tuff. He didn't trust the village, the people even less. But Tuff. Only Tuff. Hiding when any other human could be heard, Tuffnut figured it was trauma, like his, freezing up like he did, instead of Snare's immediate response into hiding.

Snare was taking to training, Tuffnut had a call for him, which he responded to quicker then Tuffnut expected. He accidentally taught Snare to drop things infront of him, and his favorite, was something Astrid taught Stormfly. Which he really really wanted to teach Snare, was shooting the spines with a command. He was giddy when Snare shot down that bee hive, was. The grudge he had on that bee hive was short lived.

But here, in the night sky, the happy Nadder, the clouds and stars, the lights of berk. It was calming, it was possible to just be without stressing everything, every little thing. He wasn't that before, now he was, now he had to be. And it felt great to just, exist for a moment.

Snare chirps, and Tuffnut opens his eyes, the moon overhead, he pats Snare's shoulder gently, "Hey, you getting tired?" He asks, the dragon chitters, flapping his wings a bit. Before they smooth out in the air.

"Okay. Lets go. Home Snare, Home"

Snare chirps and tilts to turn, heading for berk, Tuff pats the nadder on the side, looking back as they glide into the turn. Snare flew back to the woods, landing near the den. The home command was a work in progress, but Snare already had it. It just needed to be reinforced. Pulling a small fish from a pouch he feeds it to the Nadder. "Here you go, you did so good. Next time we'll fly a bit further out"

Tuff would sit in the den as Snare got comfortable, letting the Nadder rest its head on his lap, he pets Snare's snout, and gently scratches scales, and the soft under of the chin.

---☆---

"Oh this is so exciting! Documenting a whoke new species! Learning all about it!" Fishlegs exclaims.

"Theres nothing in the book of dragons that looks anything like him" Hiccup says.

"We even get to determine what its called! Huh, that is- that is a really big responsibility, I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"I AM! I'm going to name the Snot out of it!" Snotlout buts in, elbowing Fishlegs in the gut.

"20 inches for the wings" Astrid measures Torch like he's an Terrible Terror.

"Thats a big wing span" Hiccup responds.

"BIG WING! Big Span! BIG Wingspan!" Snotlout shouts.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut just watch this all happen, Ruffnut not really caring about learning a new species, Tuffnut didn't really know how to, just. Join in. Sure he could join Snotlout and say random words like thats doing much, he could comment on Torch's scales or size, but there was already three other people doing that very thing. Torch easily sliced through the paper Fishlegs held up.

"Look at these talons they're razor like"

"SHARP CLAW! RAZOR FEET! RAZOR SHARP CLAW TALON FEET!"

"Is he serious?" Tuffnut looks at Ruffnut.

Fishlegs goes on about the single most important test, which is scaring a drgaon with an eel. Immediately pulling out an eel making everyone's dragons freak out, Tuffnut frowns, now he'll have to wait for Barf and Belch to calm down, because everyone seems to think its okay to shove an eel in a dragons face to see them react. Torch eats the eel whole, no fear whatsoever.

"He ate it! He ate the eel!" Fishlegs exclaims.

"EEL EATER! Come on, Thats perfect"

Tuffnut groans he wanted this to be over, he felt like he was supervising them, which he was, in his own way. He knows what happens, but gods was it taking forever and a half.

"Now we need to get it to fly" Fishlegs says.

"Maybe if Torch saw Toothless fly, Toothless! Lets take a ride bud!" Hiccup looks up to the night fury, who doesn't move. "Toothless!"

Snotlout laughs, "So much for the dragon trainer-" somehow tripping as he backs past Tuffnut and Ruffnut toward Hookfang, falling backwards on his rear. "You didn't see that!" He scrambles to get on Hookfang, "We've got this!"

They immediately take off, the still upset nightmare speeds toward a rock face, and spins straight up into the sky. Before dropping towards the waters, catching the air before hitting the waters surface and speeding toward the academy, landing with a sick rider. "O-okay your turn, but don't think you have to love up to that"

Torch does not start flying instead he starts spinning in a circle. Slowly, "whats he doing?" Ruffnut asks.

"I Think something's wrong" Astrid says.

"Maybe he can't fly" Hiccup says looking concerned.

Torch starts sparking, spinning faster. Picking up speed until ue can take off, a ring of bright sparks, they all cover their eyes. Until Torch is flying around the academy. All stare, until Torch gets smaller and smaller with his circle, landing. "You are one incredible little dragon" Hiccup says.

"Woah look at that burn mark" Ruffnut points out.

Tuffnut raised his arm, his arm band on fire, "look at these burn marks" he says before shaking his arm to extinguish the fire.

"Did you see how it flew? It spun like-like a tyhoon." Fishlegs turns to Astrid.

"And He came back just like a boomerang!" Astrid replied.

"HOT SPINNER! FLAMING COME BACKER!"

"No. Tyhoomerang" Fishlegs said.

"Typhoomerang? Nah I don't get it." Snotlout huffs.

---☆---

Tuffnut and Ruffnut just happened to walk into the academy as Astrid was telling Hiccup he did the right thing punishing Toothless by leaving him in the cove. That Toothless will snap out of it. It kind of made Tuffnut's blood boil.

"Yeah but what if he doesn't? Then you won't have a dragon to ride. And if you don't have a drgaon to ride you can't be leader of the academy-!" Snotlout began his whole Hiccup isn't qualified to lead thing, but Tuffnut wasn't going to do this again.

"Okay thats it!" To which even Ruffnut stared at him, "hand me the little guy." He approached Hiccup, "don't. Just hand him over"

Hiccup looked hesitant to, but did. Torch grumbles in Tuffnut's grip. "Okay Hiccy, and Everyone! Remember what I said?"

Tuffnut looked at them expectantly, no one had an answer, "Great. I Said Torch here is a baby dragon."

"And How would you know that?" Astrid asks.

"Maybe the massive burn marks we saw in the woods" Ruffnut immediately defended.

"Wait what? You two saw burn marks in the woods?"

"Yeah huge, exactly like Torch's but just huge" Ruffnut responds.

"Torch is just an itty bitty baby Typhoomerang, and well Toothless was having an appropriate reaction to it, see!" Tuffnut held Torch up for Barf and Belch to see and sniff, the Zippleback backs away quickly and roars, flailing their wings and lashing their tails. "If our dragons react this way there must be a really big threat right?"

"Or one really angry mother dragon" Hiccup spoke.

---☆---

Tuffnut wasn't about to hand Torch back, even with the little dragon stabbing him with its claws, looking at the massive burn marks the group was astonished, Hiccup insisted on taking Torch, but Tuffnut knew once the mother dragon saw them Hiccup would do the whole self sacrificing thing not knowing if he was going to live, and he only just did last time. Tuffnut couldn't be sure he didn't mess it up, and he already died once so he felt like he was qualified.

"This is what Toothless was trying to tell me.." Hiccup says

"Whoever gets between that dragon and this baby, is gonna get fried" Fishlegs looks at Torch.

"Just leave it and lets get out of here!" Snotlout says louder then needed.

The Typhoomerang looks toward them, spotting the little menace she bellows, and dives. "Uh oh" Hiccup says.

Tuffnut suddenly did not like his plan of action, especially because the only action was not to let Hiccup have Torch. He wasn't even sure if he could die again, and he was pretty sure he would if he tested it, would he stay dead this time, would he have to do it all over again, he didn't want to find out. Seeing the huge enraged mother dragon headed right for them, and Hiccup yelling for them to Run. Tuffnut did exactly that, remembering last second to run away from the village because well if he lived he'd like to go home. keeping everyone safe is a bonus.

"TUFF!" "TUFFNUT!" Ruffnut and Hiccup shout.

Running, why didn't he run more, why did he avoid literally every activity he could, sure boar wrestling is cool, sure blowing up a few things is cool. But running. his legs burned, he wasn't sure if it was from the dragon or the exercise, why was he still holding Torch, Hiccup wasn't close, so the little Typhoomerang should go straight to its mom. Maybe.

So he looked at Torch "go Back to your mother!" He said over his own panting, and letting Torch go. For a moment Tuff could cheer, he thought it worked, he didn't even look back. Until that is two little sharp claws dig into his shoulders and Torch is clinging to his back. "WHY! I'M NOT EVEN HICCUP!"

The mother Typhoomerang bellows, lighting up the area behind him, he could swear loose strands of his hair were singed. He had to really think why baby Torch would come back, he isn't Hiccup, he hasn't fed Torch, but he did have food, a few fish for Snare or even Barf and Belch if he saw them before checking on Snare. He immediately took the fish out of his bag, about to toss it. When he realized he'd be feeding Torch, he'd come back anyway. But the angry mother dragon was literally breathing down his neck, and Tuffnut did not have the stamina to keep going.

Tossing what he had, Torch leapt from his shoulders. Tuffnut dove around a boulder, and into a small clearing, breathing hard, greedily taking in as much air as he could. The orange Menace quickly came into his view. "PLEASE!" He cried, Torch landed on his chest, Tuffnut's little hiding spot laying behind a boulder was foiled, Torch's mother appeared, tilting her head and spotting him. Tuff held Torch up with both hands "Take Him! Take your Baby!"

The Typhoomerang sniffed at Torch, nudged him with her snout, and Torch grappled onto her horn, she lifted Torch from Tuffnut's grasp. And after making sure Torch was secure on her back with her other offspring. She looked back down at Tuff, a rumbling growl, she raises her wings threateningly, and shows her teeth. He should probably prepare to go to Valhalla this time. As the dragon was getting ready to barbecue him.

He could feel the flames, the heat as he closed his eyes, before nothing. He wasn't fried Viking, A rumbling and hiss, Barf and Belch stood over him, without Ruffnut on their back. Barf and Belch flailing their wings out, hissing and roaring at the mother Typhoomerang. She snarls right back, using her size to intimidate. Barf and Belch will not back down, Belch sparks repeatedly, Barf hisses. Their tails lash around.

Tuffnut doesn't know what he is supposed to do, he is no match against a Typhoonarang. When the two dragons start to actually fight, Tuffnut can hardly stay out of the way, watching how the mother dragon keeps her shoulders raised to protect the little babies clinging to her spines. How Barf and Belch keep their back to Tuffnut to keep her away, how the larger dragon goes to strike and Belch meets her halfway while Barf strikes low.

He is relieved to be alive, but scared for his dragon, despite catching the Typhoomerang off guard, the Zippleback does not have the size, nor range. Tuffnut watches with bated breath, Barf and Belch are literally putting their life out there for him. They have before but its always been together, fighting together, lives on the line together, sure he'd die for them, anyday. But its terrifying seeing them fighting like this. When Barf doesn't manage to see the Typhoomerangs claw, and Belch is keeping the jaws away from them she claws them just at the shoulder on Barf's side, infront of the wing blade and over the collarbone. The Zippleback cries out, Tuff Calls out in fear.

Their opponent doesn't let up, the large wing of the dragon pushes up at their side, Barf and Belch do not have time to steady themselves, they are flipped with barely anytime to close their wings, the Typhoomerang roars, and Tuffnut watches her raise a leg, claws at the ready. He shouts, and grabs a rock, a good sized one, and chucks it. Hitting her in the chest, she pauses. Tuffnut runs over to Barf and Belch, pushing at their side getting nowhere, he looks up at the Mother dragon and throws a much smaller rock, and yells. Barf and Belch try to right themselves, Tuffnut is scared but unwilling to back down, all it takes is one strike and shes done with them.

Snare leaps over his shoulder, the Nadder flicking its tail around, standing infront of both The Zippleback and Tuff, Snare growls raising his wings. He is small compared to her, why did all of his dragons put their all into saving his life. Snare had her distracted. So Tuffnut put his shoulder to Belch's, and pushed the exhausted dragon with all his might, his twig legs were not made for all of this. Barely anything, but Belch managed to roll so Barf to roll the rest of the way to their feet. Snare was snipping at the Typhoomerangs legs, Barf and Belch on their feet join in. The mother dragon looks at the two other dragons and the human, and snorts out smoke, with a mighty flap of her wings she takes to the sky.

Tuffnut watches her leave, and he lets out all of the air he can and flops to the ground, boneless. Three dragon heads pop into his vison, they all sniff his face, and his arms, Snare licks his ear, Barf nips his arm. "Okay okay! I'm alive" he sits up, "Never scare me like that again!" He cries, and hugs Barf and Belch's leg. Snare chirps and headbutts Belch's side, Barf returns the favor nudging the Nadder. "Got your shoulder good, going to need to take care of this.. I'm sorry, I didn't want you guys to get hurt" Tuffnut stares at the shoulder wound Barf and Belch now sport.
The Zippleback gargle and spark, two necks wrap around him, and the Nadder sets its chin on his head. Its comforting.

When he hears his friends calling out his name from above, he looks up. Snare stands in a hurry, and warbles, Tuffnut could tell Snare was about to go into a panic. "Snare, Home Snare" the Nadder chirps and immediately takes off into the trees, Barf and Belch watch Snare leave. Alittle crest fallen their new friend is gone already. Toothless lands near, followed by the others, Ruffnut hopping off Toothless with Hiccup. Barf and Belch let Tuffnut out of their hold, as Ruffnut tackles him. She wails on him, not hard but still, "Never! Do that again!" She smacks him over the helmet, before squeezing the life out of him. She lets go of him to glare, "Or I'll personally send you to Valhalla"

"As soon as you took off Barf and Belch did too, they were right behind the Typhoomerang" Hiccup says.

"I know.. they got hurt" Tuffnut looks at Barf and Belch.

"But. Neither of you are dead" Astrid spoke.

"She's right, Barf and Belch defended you and you're all alive. But never do that again, I don't think Berk can afford to spare you" Hiccup spoke, "actually I don't think we can afford to spare you"

Ruffnut bumps his shoulder, "I am mad you got Barf hurt, but I'm glad you're alive"

Tuffnut could see they were all concerned for him, Snotlout wasn't saying anything, hanging back, but he was watching, Fishlegs was looking at Barf and Belch. Ruffnut literally held his hand so tight it hurt, Hiccup was looking at him asking him if he was okay, Astrid offered a waterskin from her saddle. He felt so odd, but it felt nice. He really wanted a nap.

Hopefully he can get through another day without having hair singed off, but on berk he wasn't sure.

Chapter Text

Training was horrible, Ruffnut was trying to get him to quit, he wasn't because it was needed. But oh he wanted too. she never gave him an opening, or a way to defend himself. being the physically stronger twin, and being too rough in her approach. he could see it, just not being able to keep up with what he wanted to do. Ruffnut slammed him into the ground, "thats the third time" she huffed, he rolled his eyes. He could explain what they were supposed to be doing over and over and this would still happen. Barf and Belch broke it up before they started fighting, lifting both off the ground.

"Can we just focus on one thing? One thing at a time?" He asked, he'd rather block a punch right now then get bodied without warning.

"Are you going to be able to stop it? Or are you going to try to get yourself killed again!"

"Ruff! I didn't know that was going to happen!"

"What am I supposed to tell mom? What about Bjorn Boar? What about me?"

"But I'm fine! I'm not dead see!" He waved his arms around.

"Because our awesome dragon saved your butt! What about next time? Barf and Belch can't always save you Tuff" She pats Barf's snout, and she is let down. She looks up at Tuff, "What If I'm not there?"

What was he supposed to say, the one time neither her nor Barf and Belch were there, he died. He couldn't say that.

She wasn't waiting for an answer, leaving it in the air. Making him think, even as the other riders showed up, Hiccup and Toothless flying into the academy.

"Alright gang we're going to flying today, and trust fall with our dragons!"

"Wait what? Fall?" Snotlout looked at Hiccup, holding the straps for Hookfang's saddle. "Like fall off our dragons? On purpose?"

"Yup! Thats what i said!" Hiccup grins.

"Umm.. Hiccup can we choose not too?" Fishlegs asks.

"Nope Its a team exercise"

Tuffnut pats Belch's snout and he is lowered to the ground, Ruffnut is already saddling Barf up, Astrid is already on Stormfly, like she has it down to an art on how to saddle her dragon. Tuffnut grabs Belch's saddle and places it on Belch's neck, looping and tightening the straps. He's the last one to finish up.

Toothless is the first to take off, leading the others out of the academy and into the air.

Ruff wasn't talking, the way her knuckles were white as she gripped Barf's horns, a stern face as she stared straight ahead, she was right though, out of everyone he probably lacked the most, he wanted to change that, he really did. He looked at her, she put up an angry front, but she was probably scared and upset. he remembers pretending to die by a changewing, he wanted her to have her own life not stuck to him for the rest of hers, but she was devastated, she was lost without her twin, she always believed born together die together was how they were supposed to go out, since they were kids.

Looking at it he thinks after he died, did Ruff find him, did she outlived him. He wonders if Gothi managed to keep Maud and Nuffink safe, did things keep going without him or did it all stop. Did anyone live even, it scared him to think of that future. His original life, but he knew out of everything Ruffnut would've been distraught, how she made sure he ate, and took care of himself, she knew he was depressed alone in his hut, she pushed him to make Gothi's apprenticeship, she pushed and pushed to keep him going, and he still died on her, Tuffnut couldn't go back, he couldn't say goodbye that morning, he couldn't hug her so tight. He couldn't tell her how much he appreciated her efforts or how much she meant as his sister.

He wishes he did. So he'll start now, or he'll try his best, she was like a rock, and it wasn't just for him. She challenged Astrid, she grounded Snotlout, and she gave Fishlegs a leg to stand on. And sometimes she gave Hiccup a nudge or two, the whole team benefits from Ruffnut. He just wished he paid more attention the first time, and yes she was rough, but she was also patient. "I'm sorry" he utters, just enough for her to hear over the wind, "I swear I'll try not to die, or at least not do that again"

"You promise?"

He couldn't keep it, but he nods, "I know where to get some sneezewart powder, we can put some in Snotlout's helmet later? If you want"

"That'd be awesome! I have some Ideas too" She grins.

"Can't wait!" Tuff grins.

Hiccup and Toothless stop in the air, "alright! Everyone circle that way, I'll be the first to demonstrate!"

They keep an eye on the night fury as Hiccup and Toothless fly above the academy, and over the waters. Astrid has a smirk on her face, Fishlegs gasps when Hiccup and Toothless separate. Putting a hand over his eyes, Hiccup literally spreads his limbs out, back to the waters, it looks relaxing just falling through the air with no worries. Because Toothless does catch him, and it looks very cool. Tuffnut knows Barf and Belch can do that, he really wants to go. Ruffnut looks excited too.

Hiccup rejoins the group, looking to Fishlegs "its your turn, jump!"

"I Don't wanna jump!"

"You have to believe she's gonna catch you. Its a trust exercise"

"I like to do my trusting on the ground. Thank you very much"

"Like this! Chicken legs!" Snotlout shouts and flys infront of the gronkle. Raising his arms he slides off his dragon, "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Only problem Hookfang wasn't even paying attention. So Snotlout just plummets.

"So.. should we mention something to Hookfang?" Tuffnut turns to Ruffnut.

"Let me sleep on it"

"Hookfang get him!" Astrid calls to the Nightmare.

Hookfang looks to Toothless who roars, Hookfang suddenly looks down at the falling boy, and dives. Catching Snotlout but too late, crashing right through Mildew's roof, of all the huts on berk. Snotlout is probably looking around at the hut and noticing the man is still in his hut. And right on time Hookfang smashes another hole in the roof to get away.

The gang quickly flys away from Mildew's hut, Snotlout catching up. "Something tells me we're going to hear about this" Hiccup utters.

Tuffnut is disappointed the exercise is over already, but now he had his next step, Keep Mildew from getting the dragons removed.

---☆---

The most disgusting, and disturbing, and utterly terrifying things, his father's boots. Boot day was just awful, he hadn't done this in years, the oath he uttered when he was finally free of that man, he'd cut his own hands off to never hold those boots again. It was as if the adults of berk never knew how to take off their boots, never let them breathe, or air out, never washed them, it was just horrid. And he had completely forgotten about it. So returning home both him and Ruffnut, his father sitting by the fire, as they walked by the man he put his boots on the table.

Tuffnut felt queasy, he knew it was boot night, and dove for the right one before Ruffnut could reach it. He'd rather fight her then pick up the left boot, Ruffnut literally held her breath to pick it up. Stepping outside Hiccup was already setting Stoick's boots on the porch of the chiefs hut. Fishlegs exiting his family's hut holding both boots out  "I hate boot night" he says.

Tuffnut teasingly pushed the left boot toward Ruffnut. And she practically shoved the right boot in his face, Tuffnut gagged and immediately leaned away, "Why is his left foot so much smellier than his right?" He ducked around her to set the boot down and run back inside the hut. With his stomach never the same after drinking Astrid's yaknog, Snotlout was holding Spitelout's boots far from his face, his stomach protesting the smell.

After berk fell asleep, and snow is falling, Tuffnut slipped out of the hut, in a heavy coat, he was already ready for bed and tired, he wasn't about to be cold in the snow waiting for that old man, Mildew won't start his tricks for another hour. So Tuffnut slipped off to see Snare in the woods. He wanted to bring Snare to see the other dragons, since the Nadder got along well with Barf and Belch.

The night watch didn't look out for dragons really anymore, and sneaking past himself was a breeze. Sneaking around made him think about missions he and the others used to go on, He missed having adventures, he just looked at everyday as being one step closer to getting to go on awesome adventures with his friends again, the best part of his life was on the Dragon's Edge. Even if it took a couple years he'd wait just for the chance to experience it all over again.

Passing the tree he has a grudge against, he knows he can climb a tree. Its not his fault the tree isn't climbable, and the trees around it. He trudges to Snare's den. The Nadder sleeping, to immediately awake at the slightest sound. Snare spots him, the spines on his tail going down and he chirps. Tuffnut pats his beak "Hey you wanna see Barf and Belch?" He smiles.

Snare stands pressing his snout to Tuff's chest and breathing out, Tuffnut pets the side of his head, before leading Snare out of the den. He chose to fly instead of tiptoeing a whole dragon past the night patrol. And Snare didn't mind, finding the chance to fly around nice, the cool winter air nipping at Tuff's ears as they soar, he always wondered how Astrid saw over Stormfly's head spikes, but now he knows, she didn't. Looking past them like they aren't there though, through them like a net.

It was hard to get used to, Barf and Belch were so easy to understand and fly, two heads twice the communication, two heads less of a chance Tuffnut can crash the dragon. Here on Snare being the lone rider was a scary but fun experience, he had no one else to keep him on the path. It was all on him, and Snare of course. He's been building up their flights short distances, to longer distances, until he can get the hang of it. He had to watch Astrid to even understand how turning worked, Ruffnut said he was being weird just staring that day.

Approaching the academy, since the academy housed their dragons they had food bins and water troughs, the locks on the dragons stalls had been disabled, as in the levers just sort of broken. Snare doesn't like the entrance when they dive in to swoop into a land, a complaint squawk. Once they landed the other dragons all lift their heads to look over, Barf and Belch immediately getting up to run over, a happy chatter as they nuzzle Snare with both heads.

Tuffnut slips off Snare's back, approaching Barf and Belch scratching the scales on either neck. Snare chirps happy to see the Zippleback, and more dragons, Meatlug waddles over to experimentally sniff the Nadder, Barf and Belch chittering to the Gronkle as she does. Snare returns the gesture sniffing her, skeptical about the human smell Snare tilts his head and looks to Tuff. Which Tuffnut takes a moment to understand what's wrong, walking over to Meatlug he hugs the Gronkle and scratches her side showing Snare that Meatlug is a friend. Meatlug enjoys the attention.

Stormfly is curious and wanders over, shaking her wings and stretching. Barf and Belch moving to make room as Stormfly walks up beside them, Snare chirping to Meatlug notices the other Nadder and perks up, flapping his wings with an excited chirp immediately at sniffing Stormfly and deeming Astrid's scent alright. The four dragons play and socialize, Hookfang rumbles and stands stretching his neck and shoulders, puffing smoke from his nostrils. Looking to the noise making group, Hookfang grumbles and gives a complaint to the others, Barf and Belch nip the Nightmare on either side, and Hookfang rumbles in annoyance and gives chase, getting roped into their game.

Tuffnut watches them, looks fun, but definitely not human safe, he'd probably be squished or stepped on, and he's pretty sure the Two Ton Monstrous Nightmare tackling another from above would make him a flat viking if he got in the way, Hookfang so easily climbs the walls and dome chains, Barf and Belch are tackled unexpectedly Hookfang looks strangely proud of sneaking up on a Zippleback, lifting his head and shaking his horns. Stormfly jumps on his back Followed by Snare allowing Barf and Belch to slip free, Hookfang dramatic as his rider flops on his side and huffs rolling his head to look at the others, Meatlug waddles over to headbutt his chin.

The dragons eventually settle down, Tuffnut lets Snare curl up in Stormfly's stall out of sight as He gets ready for Mildew to appear, at first he was just going to be there and surprise the old man, but he didn't like that plan, so he sits next to Barf and Belch as they drift to sleep, he lays across a wing, its uncomfortable so he crawls closer to the Zippleback, laying his head on a one of the Zippleback's front legs, pretending to sleep. waiting.

The distinct clacking of Mildew's staff, and the added clicking from those Zippleback boots, he didn't want to know if it was real or fake, its Mildew he could only assume the worst. but once the elder was close enough, Mildew definitely takes notice of him, Mildew can't be around a dragon unless he constantly looks up at them when he's busy, Tuff pretends to wake up, sitting up with a stretch and a fake yawn.

"What in Thor's name are you doing here?!" Mildew questions.

"Sleeping. What does it look like to you?" Tuffnut forces himself not to grin, not to be suspicious. "Hey woah those are cool looking boots, they look like Barf and Belch's feet, you deciding which boots you're gonna wear because I'd rather have big cool boots like those not these lame normal boots" Tuff grabs his foot to point at the boot while he talks.

Mildew stands unimpressed, "..well yes I was walking around seeing if they'd be a good fit, they're not. and Don't expect to see them again" Mildew starts leaving, hurriedly.

Tuffnut counts that as a win.

---☆---

He thought Mildew would be detered, unfortunately he was wrong. The elder still framed Hookfang, using the fake claw to mess up the great hall. Tuffnut also had forgotten Mildew even did that, remembering Barf and Belch being framed clearly but not Hookfang. He had to think what else happened because he knows between here and the dragons being banned from berk something worse happened.

Stoick was not happy, even less when Fishlegs says its Monstrous Nightmare claw marks, perfect claw marks down to the spacing. Hiccup was trying to get Fishlegs to shut up with his eyes, begging him to stop talking.

At least everyone had their boots on.

"Oh No! Its true, the great hall! So many memories. My three weddings, their three funerals. Oh... the funerals." Mildew barges into the great hall to say.

Tuffnut never actually thought about that before, but he was now. And he was very uncomfortable.

"A Dragon must have gone on a rampage. I hate to say it Stoick but you're gonna have to-" Gobber starts.

"I know what has to be done, Gobber." Stoick cuts him off.

"So Do I!" Mildew chimes in, giddy.

Stoick turns to Hiccup "Starting tonight and Everynight, I want all the dragons put under lock and Key."

"What?! Thats it? LOOK what they did!" MIldew whines, literally stomping his foot.

"This just doesn't make any sense, a dragon wouldn't just come in here and destroy the place. I mean none of the food was even touched." Hiccup speaks.

"I don't know why Dragons do what they do, But I'm not gonna let them do any more damage" Stoick states.

Tuffnut is gonna find a way to fix it, he just needs to find Mildew's dragon claw, he just didn't know when Mildew would be clear of his hut, or where to look.

---☆---

"Sleep little Meatlug in your bed where yummy little boulders dance in your head-" Fishlegs sings to Meatlug, the Gronkle upset because her rider is, she can tell something is off and turns away from Fishlegs. "That normally works.. our whole bedtime routine is messed up thanks to-"

"Watch it! Fishlegs!" Snotlout buts in, "at least my dragon doesn't need a lullaby and a blankie"

"Actually its your fault that all our dragons have to sleep in Jail." Ruffnut states, Barf and Belch hiss, the dragon taking notice of its riders hostility toward Hookfang and Snotlout, Hookfang immediately growls, the two dragons flailing their wings out and snapping.

"I don't think a dragon wrecked the great hall" Hiccup could feel something was off.

"None of us wants to believe it either, Hiccup. but you saw the proof" Astrid speaks.

"What proof? You can't tell me a dragon wouldn't eat everything there, or that something feels off. This is all wrong, I'm going to prove it but I don't know how." Hiccup spoke.

"Well there could be alot of explanations why a dragon wouldn't eat the food in the great hall" Fishlegs tried.

"Like Hello even I sometimes don't like the food, the cook matters! Gobber, yes I'd eat it. Fishlegs' mom is iffy. Never touching anything made by Spitelout" Ruffnut lists.

"Hey!"
"What's wrong with my mom's cooking?"

"Don't make me start-" Ruffnut had an entire speech prepared for both of them, when Hookfang roars over her, snapping at Barf and Belch and engulfing himself in flames.

"Snotlout do something about him please, We're trying to think over here." Hiccup prompts Snotlout.

"I'm not the boss of him. He always does that when he gets angry"

Hiccup stops at that, and watches the Nightmare, both him and Astrid watching the dragon leave burned claw marks where he walks, Hiccup immediately starts thinking,  "or goes on a Rampage." He mutters. "Thats how i can explain the great hall! I gotta Tell my dad about this!" Hiccup spares no time, hopping on Toothless and taking off.

Ruffnut turns back to Fishlegs and Snotlout, "anyway. Fishlegs, your mom makes weird food, its yak stew and she added wildberries. And Snotlout. Would you eat what your dad makes? Besides Between Gobber and Tuffnut those are the only two I trust to not poison me without trying to posion me"

Snotlout looks to Tuffnut "you cook?"

Tuffnut wasn't even paying attention, lost in thought, the conversation continues without him anyway. But something was nagging, pulling at his brain. When it came to him, he ran out of the academy and toward the village. No time to give an excuse. Since his adventure of running from that typhoomerang he's been trying to get his stamina up, running in the woods with Snare, or in the academy with Barf and Belch. Both places are great obstacle courses.

But gods he hated running across the bridge, the wood creaked with his every move, especially when he was pushing, slamming his legs down, his foot hitting the creaky wood with force. The bridge shook slightly, even more when he got close to the end. Once on the path he skids to turn, the sky already getting dark, Tuff was panting, he felt like time wasn't on his side, passing huts and a few carts, the plaza, the armory in view, he caught a glimpse of Mildew going inside, but then he saw Toothless approaching, he didn't see Mildew slip out the back window.

"Toothless!" Tuffnut jumps infront of the Night fury before the dragon could enter the armory, Tuffnut doesn't know whats in there, how what happened last time happened, maybe Toothless only had to walk in, but Tuffnut was not letting it happen. Toothless looks around him and warbles, trying to pass him, Mildew's fake dragon calls made the Fury curious. Tuffnut pushes him back, "no Toothless, no, go back to Hiccup." He mutters, Toothless pushes him forward a bit, and Tuff uselessly pushes the dragons head "Toothless Go-"

The fire Mildew set had reached the oil barrels, a mini explosion going off, rapidly moving until the blast reaches the door, a force or fire and velocity shooting out, Tuffnut is thrown off his feet, his side burns, his head hurts, everything is spinning and theres still fire, Toothless bats at a small flame on his fur vest, warbling and nudging him with his head, Tuffnut hurts, his head really hurts, more then his side, it burns.

"The armory! Its on fire!"

The orange lights dancing infront of him, the shadow monster staring at him. Tuffnut giggles, he knows theres something he should be doing, but maybe that can wait till all the people running around him calm down their loud noises hurt his head, he wonders if he has red hair all the time or where his helmet is because he needs to match with Ruffnut.

"Tuffnut!" Hiccup shouts, the crowd now notices Toothless and Tuffnut, and they start pointing fingers at the Night fury, Hiccup is trying to check Tuff over while defending his dragon, "Toothless wouldn't do this!"

Tuff makes a sound that catches Hiccup's attention "don't tell Ruff.. I broke my promise" he whispers loudly, before Tuffnut passes out. Into sleep he didn't choose, out before the others even got there.

Maybe when he wakes things will be straightened out on their own.

Chapter Text

Hands that felt like ice touched his side, his eyes flew open as he gasped, his head felt like it was split open, and his side itself stung like fire. He felt someone push him back down. looking to whoever was there and it was Gothi, a stern look in her eye telling him to be still. His brain was buzzing and throbbing against his skull, he didn't feel like getting up anyway. Relaxing back into the bed.

Gothi had a jar of something, a salve maybe, Tuffnut couldn't think about it, his mind was swimming, foggy and there was a ringing in his ear that wouldn't stop. When the elder started to put the salve on his burn it was very cold, the burn was just above his hip, the size of a hand, finger tip to wrist, it was red and angry, hot to the touch, the area had swelled a bit, the skin still damp and shiny, it was definitely going to blister. But Gothi was doing what she could to make the healing process more manageable.

"Ughh.." he groaned, the light itself burned despite there being very little in her hut. It made the intense pain in his skull much worse, he had to close his eyes to keep from shouting out because of the pain. He'd purposely given himself concussions before, sometimes on accident, both he and Ruffnut prided themselves on their thick skulls, having rammed their heads together many times. But this was bigger and felt much worse, like a thunderdrum blasted him right in the ear and his brain was jumping about scramblling everything in his head.

Gothi rubbed his arm, letting him know she had something for him, he didn't want anything except for the pain to stop, because gods it hurt, he liked pain normally but like small silly pain like wrestling with his sister or Snotlout, headbutting Ruffnut or Barf and Belch, but this? He hated this. Thinking hurt, hearing hurt, seeing hurt. He whined, he felt like crying but that would probably hurt more.

Gothi tapped his arm again, and he could smell whatever she had, he dared to look, peaking the best he could without melting  his already mushy brain. She held a cup, he could see the steam and smell the broth. He wasn't very hungry, he felt like throwing up actually. She wouldn't let him turn away from it, she wags a finger in his sight.

"Not hungry..." he croaks "hurts"

Still she brings it to his face, despite him being stubborn she manages to get him to drink some, he grimaces at swallowing, moving his throbbing head in the slightest made the pain amplify a bit. She let him settle and put the cup on a nearby surface, most likely a nightstand, or a table. He couldn't tell and he didn't care, he was exhausted, and in pain.

He found himself drifting back into unconsciousness, the pain melting into the background of his mind, he welcomed the much needed sleep.

But when he woke again hours later, it was with a start, his lungs burned. Someone he couldn't tell who, was pinching his nose and covering his mouth, his brain screamed, and his side flared as he jumped awake, but they didn't let go, his vison was blurry and his ears were ringing, he felt completely defenseless, he was gonna die and he couldn't even fight.

And suddenly just like that the hand let go, his lungs rushed to get air, he coughed as air quickly returned to him, he blinked vison clearing eyes adjusting, he saw two elders, Gothi in the door of her hut, narrowing her eyes at the other elder who stood by his bed. Mildew. Tuffnut almost died to Mildew of all people, Gothi started scratching her cane against the ground, trying to say something to the man.

"I was just seeing the poor lad since I heard what happened. Poor boy." Mildew spoke. "Shame what that dragon did, thank the gods if he makes it"

Gothi held her glare but moved out of the way as Mildew left.

Tuff closed his eyes again, his mind pulling him back into sleep, he wanted to stay awake, but he didn't put up much of a fight. Slipping back into peaceful bliss, pain fading away again, but this time twinged with a fear.

He found himself on a Rocky beach, grey skies, he wasn't on the ground, rather in the air above the rocks, the familiar sound of breathing from Barf and Belch, Ruffnut sat on Barf's neck in her saddle, but the last saddle she had before the dragons left, his was the same. He hated that saddle. He stared at it for years, mourning.

They were following Stormfly, Hiccup and Astrid on her back, Hookfang and Meatlug tailing. Snotlout was in his dragon scale outfit, but Hookfang didn't have a saddle, Meatlug had a saddle but it wasn't what he expected, it was the failed saddle Gobber had made in his first life, heavy weaponry adorning it, he'd only seen it once on her, Fishlegs was older, like the last time Tuffnut saw him in his old life.

None of it made sense, but he wasn't freaking out, they had a battle after all, Hiccup spoke he couldn't understand it, but he knew what he was supposed to do, Ruffnut whooping, Hiccup was already missing his leg. Barf and Belch flew towards their target, rounding, hovering. Ruffnut shouted insults, and Tuffnut looked up. this time She was already locked on him before he even looked, big inky eyes, open voids, bore into him again. It scared him like it did every single time.

This time the Red Death opened her maw, instead of flames, instead of them speeding off, she pulled the air around them, a vacuum, inescapable. He tried to scream as he was ripped off his dragon, but no sound escaped. He was pulled into the vacuum, Powerful jaws slammed shut behind him leaving him in nothingness.

Tuffnut was floating, there was nothing anywhere, pitch darkness filed out around him. He was a speck in the void. Alone.

He woke up again, blinking awake, his eyes adjusted better, they didn't burn under the  light.

"You promised" Ruffnut's voice. He looks in her direction, she was sitting in a chair arms folded, they stared at each other, he could see she'd cried at some point, slightly bloodshot eyes that were alittle puffy.

His heart hurt at this, but the problem was he couldn't recall promising something, or much of anything after the battle of the Red Death. He knows he didn't get injured there, he remembers Snoggletog. The rest seem to blank in his mind. That scared him, because for the life of him he doesn't know how or why he's even in this bed, just that his head feels like a bewilderbeast fell on it, and his side felt melted together with a searing pain that wouldn't go away.

"Wha..? What happened?" He asked, "why am I in Gothi's sick bed?"

"Because you're an idiot. I turned around and you had ran off like you had a mission to get yourself killed." Her voice wavered "and you almost did!"

"I- I don't.. remember" he didn't know what to say, what it was he did or what even happened.

"The night watch said Toothless blew up the armory, and you had ran in."

"I- I ran in?"

"Apparently." She huffed, "at least you didn't have to leave Barf and Belch alone on Dragon island. I had to. By myself! And then you missed the outcasts attack, Alvin the treacherous, Stoick has some past with the guy. he came here for the 'dragon conqueror' which was actually Hiccup"

"Wait what?" He blinks trying to piece it together. "Alvin?"

"Yeah, Hiccup gave himself up, and Alvin the treacherous took him to dragon island, where he got Toothless. Stoick followed them with me of course, Astrid, Fishlegs and Snotlout who nearly gave us away and Gobber" she thought, "We got our dragons just intime to kick butt, no thanks to you bro, I flew Barf and Belch alone."

"..The armory blew up?"

"Duh" she huffed "I said that already."

He was slowly getting the picture, bits and peices at least, the harder he pushed himself to remember the more his head hurt. "Barf and Belch stole the boots?"

"What? ..What boots? How hard did you hit your head bro?"

He waves his hand around "How long was I out?"

"Hiccup said you passed out, but woke up sometime later only to pass out again. You've been in and out since. But this is the only time you've been responsive" she shrugs. "Gothi said you'd be in rough shape, and that the burn is gonna scar"

"What- oh.." he lifts his tunic slightly to look at it, a couple damp burdock leaves cover the surface, he remembered it, the flames searing his flesh, burning him. he didn't dare peel the leaves off, better to keep it covered even the smallest risk of infection in a burn like this wasn't worth it. "Well.. I never actually had any cool scars before, it'll be awesome" he shrugged, grinning. Before his hand shot up to hold his forehead.

Ruffnut had a hand on his shoulder, concerned, "I should get Gothi"

He shook his head before cringing, "no.. Its okay, I'm fine" he groans.

She was already getting up, he felt too exhausted to stop her, so he settled back in the bed. Eyes pulling to sleep again, looking out the door as Ruffnut left to get the elder, seeing Stoick on Toothless, Tuffnut put the last pieces together, he'd think it was funny how much he was an idiot if he wasn't lulling off.

When he woke once more the hut was dark, the front door creaking open slowly, Tuffnut blinks, squinting to see before his mind catches up, theres a silhouette in the doorway, but whoever it was runs off when something or someone moves beside Tuffnut's bed, Hiccup was sleeping in a chair, now stretching and yawning waking up.

Hiccup looked over to Tuff who was sitting up now, "oh! You're awake!" Hiccup sounded relieved.

"Did you see that?" Tuffnut croaks, throat dry.

Hiccup looked around, noting the open door, but nothing else. "Tuff.. -Tuffnut. The Armory. I-I don't know why Toothless blew it up- or what happened, But you got hurt and-"

"Toothless didn't blow up the Armory-" Tuffnut spoke.

"Wait just let me apol- wait. he didn't?"

"Toothless didn't blow it up.. Mildew did." Tuff stated, "he lured Toothless there"

"Mildew? He blew up the armory?"

"Yes. Hiccup, Mildew had ran in before Toothless even got there, and I know he didn't get blown up because he was just in the doorway"

"Mildew framed Toothless? And Hookfang.." Hiccup looked back to Tuff "wait how did you know?"

"Um.. soo boot night I had snuck out to sleep next to Barf and Belch, silly i know, but that night Mildew snuck into the academy, he had a pair of boots that were Zippleback feet, and his own destroyed boots, but I thought he was just trying out the cool looking boots. He left once he saw me" Tuff shrugged, feeling awkward.

"Then Hookfang was framed. There was no scorch marks in the great hall.." Hiccup spoke.

Tuff nodded "only thought after you'd already left, if Toothless was alone for just a moment"

"Then Mildew would've known. I have to get my dad! I have to tell him."

"Wait! Don't leave me." Tuffnut immediately panicked. Wide eyed.

"Tuff.. I have to tell my dad Mildew could be ploting more"

"I know! But MIldew was in the doorway Hiccup- I Saw him Hiccup, he knows I saw him."

Hiccup looked torn, "okay. I'll stay, at least until Astrid gets here, she said she was gonna stop by, I'll tell the others we have to keep you on watch, just incase."

Tuffnut let out a relieved breath, "thank you" he croaked. He was scared, mostly of dying again, what if he only had this one chance, what if all he'd done already would just go to waste.

He didn't want to find out.

"You know my dad has his own dragon now" Hiccup began.

Tuff smiled, the ache in his head still present but slowly becoming manageable, yeah he could manage it, as long as he had them he could manage it all.

Chapter Text

It almost seemed like a joke to him, he was up, he was walking around a bit, so Hiccup helped him down Gothi's winding steps, Hiccup lead him to the great hall, up those massive steps. Stoick was just getting done with some chiefly duties when they entered those doors, Tuff had to catch his breath. He hadn't exactly been getting much exercise lately.

Hiccup was already approaching his father "dad, there's something important you have to know, Something about the night the armory blew up"

Stoick turned to his son, and there next to him was Mildew, of all people. Stoick spotted Tuff, and clasped his hands together. "Ah Tuffnut! I heard Gothi finally let you out of bed!" Stoick Smiled at Tuffnut. Before the Chief turned back to Hiccup, "now what was it you were saying Son?"

"Tuffnut saw what happened to night the armory exploded"

Tuffnut stood beside Hiccup, his nerves on end, Already feeling on the spot infront of Stoick, but Mildew too, his stomach dropped even more when Mildew stepped forward before Stoick could ask Tuffnut what he saw. The old man already had a grin on his face.

"Are we sure we can trust what the boy says? Even the village elder said he had a nasty head injury, his brains probably all scrambled like Bucket's is. For all you know he could say something ridiculous like you or even I blew up the armory" Mildew gave Stoick the same faux concern he always did when he got away with everything.

Tuffnut felt small, how was he supposed to convince Stoick now? Mildew destroyed anything he had prepared, the words were dying on his tongue.

"But. YOU did blow up the Armory, Mildew. Tuff tell my father what you saw" Hiccup spoke up, a hand on Tuffnut's shoulder, immediately Tuffnut didn't feel so small anymore, Hiccup was a rock he could lean on in this moment.

Stoick looked at him expectantly "well go on."

Tuffnut took a breath to calm his nerves, and looked Stoick in the eyes, "I saw Mildew go into the Armory, he was Luring Toothless there, I was Trying to stop Toothless before he got in the armory and It blew up, Toothless never set foot in the Armory." He spoke as calm as he could, Ignoring the elderly man.

"See Stoick he sounds just as-" Mildew began, being cut off as Stoick raised a hand to him. Telling him to shut up. But Stoick's shoulders were still slumped, not tense like they were when he was upset.

"Tuffnut Are you certain that's what you saw?" Stoick spoke, "these are heavy accusations"

Hiccup's hand gripped his shoulder a tad more before letting up, and Tuffnut nodded, "I'm- I'm very Certain that is what I saw Chief."

Stoick let out a breath, "well. I'll need to gather the Berk Council. We'll see what happens"

"Stoick you can't honestly believe in that boy" Mildew huffed.

"Mildew as Chief I cannot Ignore this, if that is true. Odin have mercy." Stoick's words held bite, but restraint. Stoick believed Tuff.

--☆--

Mildew was on "house arrest" due to the berk council, aside from Stoick and Gothi, not believing Tuffnut. Gobber had been the comprising decision, instead of throwing out the claims like Spitelout and Sven suggested, or to keep Mildew in a cell because Mulch was all to eager to see the old man get his dues, Bucket didn't know who to agree with, Stoick was ready to send Mildew away, the man had put the entire village in danger if it was true.

Gobber had the bright Idea to keep Mildew in his home or on his farm until they finished investigating, at least until they had enough evidence to truly prosecute.

Tuffnut personally hated that idea, he'd rather Mulch's idea, because then at least he'd know Mildew couldn't just slip away. He'd already had to stand infront of the council and tell them the whole story, from Barf and Belch to the armory. Just for Spitelout to laugh at him, "You're going to believe a Thorston?" He had spoke.

"That Thorston is Gothi's apprentice. And may just save your life one day" Gobber had returned, Stoick had nodded. Gothi smiled. Spitelout crossed his arms and spent the rest of the meeting grumpy.

By the time the Council broke away, Stoick was pinching the bridge of his nose, "I'm sorry Tuffnut, Mildew will remain on berk for now"

Hiccup looked more upset then Tuffnut, "so he's just going to get away with it?" Hiccup had stood up from a bench.

"I didn't say that son, we're going to gather evidence, the armory is still in shambles, we'll see what we can find"

"What if its all gone? The evidence? Its been days, we were attacked while I was out.." Tuff was so used to being the one on trial, because well he used to be the one causing the most trouble, Spitelout had never needed evidence then, Stoick had looked so disappointed in him then, why did they need evidence now? When they never needed it for him in his last life. They always believed he had done it, even if he didn't sometimes.

"There's not much else I can do for now" Stoick looked apologetic.

--☆--

"So he's just going to get away?" It was Snotlout's question, as they made their way, "after he Framed Hookfang!?" Snotlout shouts, Astrid shot him a glare.

"That doesn't seem fair, especially not to the dragons, or you Tuffnut" Fishlegs spoke.

"Duh because it isn't. If I see that old man I'm going to kick his butt" Ruffnut grumbles.

Astrid turns the corner, Tuffnut following her, his sister right on his tail, Snotlout and Fishlegs behind her. Hiccup was already at the great hall, they were all hanging out at the old watch tower, but Hiccup had been called away hours ago. Astrid said they should go see what was up and all of them were curious. Tuffnut wasn't even sure what was going on anymore, his head still hurt alot most the time, and he couldn't lean on his side.

"I just feel like I have to look over my shoulder, Mildew was staring daggers at me the whole council meeting" Tuff shrugged.

"I bet, I wonder whose guarding his hut" Astrid looked back at him.

"My dad! He left earlier" Snotlout grins.

"Great way to make my brother feel worse" Ruffnut bit.

"Hey! My dad's a Jorgenson! One of the best. He wouldn't let Mildew out, so don't worry"

"I don't know Snotlout your dad was gonna let Mildew go by the sounds of it" Fishlegs said, following thr group up the great hall steps.

"Hey! He had reasons!"

"Its already happened, Mildew is staying on berk. I wanna think of something else, anything else" Tuffnut butt in. "Actually I don't want to think at all right now"

"Tuff's right lets focus on something else, like whatever Hiccup's been missing for" Astrid speaks, mowing over that last part.

Tuffnut didn't like it, he felt like his efforts were wasted. He did something the right way for once and it didn't work, maybe he should've let it play out like normal.. like it did before.

"I got you bro" Ruffnut grins. Bumping his shoulder with her own. No words needed, but she understood he wasn't okay. "But maybe lets avoid bashing our heads together until Gothi says, I don't want to mash your brains more"

"Hey my brains were already mashed thank you." He spoke, fuax annoyance, crossing his arms.

"You're right, now their just stewed" Snotlout grins, his big head popping up from the side.

"Yeah well you don't have one" Ruff replied.

"Wow look at that we're here." Astrid said loud enough they shut up, she pushed the doors open.

"Chest out, Son" Stoick's voice rings.

They round the first pillar to see Hiccup inhaling as much air as he can, only holding it for a second, before he exhaled "yeah this is as far out as it goes, dad"

Hiccup and Stoick standing, so Bucket can paint their portrait, "ah, very well then" the chief posing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, Hiccup holding a shield.

The other teens all sat down and watched and chatted, quietly as not to break Bucket's concentration. Fishlegs happily went on about Meatlug, before Snotlout butted in, claiming Hookfang could do way better at anything Meatlug could do. Tuffnut snorted clearly not meaning to but earned the eyes at the table, "ok yeah, Barf and Belch could out maneuver You on Hookfang. Especially in a battle" Tuffnut grinned, pushing Snotlout's buttons, it was fun, especially now of all times when Snotlout was the most hotheaded.

"Yeah you couldn't handle Barf and Belch" Ruffnut grins as well.

Tuff wasn't saying Barf and Belch were better then any other dragon anyway, just Snotlout Currently. Because currently Snotlout struggles to bond, to trust, to let Hookfang simply lead for once, pushing his buttons gets him riled up, gets him fired up, gets him excited. Something aside from Spitelout's pressure to reach the impossible.

Sure Tuffnut didn't know it the first time around because he himself was an asshole that didn't care much at first, he was a stupid teenager. But when he lost Barf and Belch, he was twenty one, six years of bonding gone, and for a while he only had Snotlout to lean on, so he hadn't known until one night of drinking, Snotlout and him both putting back pints of mead.

Snotlout had wrapped an arm around his shoulders and leaned on him, Tuff at the time was still getting over his crush on Hiccup. Hiccup was married to Astrid, the dragons were gone, Ruffnut and Fishlegs were dating, and Tuffnut just stuck to his bestfriend, but that moment really effected him, he had instantly gone slient, his face had gotten warm. Snotlout had spoke and he hadn't heard the first part, but a moment of calming down and he heard it.

"-anted to give up so many times, no matter what i did he never.. he never saw me. I only saw my dad as a strong hero, untouchable, so no matter what I had to be better for him, but every time I couldn't do it. But You guys, You. The others, Hookfang. It was something I could hold onto, you guys pushed me and I felt like I could actually reach it" Snotty had drank more then Tuff that night, "but.. now.. I feel like I'm lost. -I'm leaving Berk.. I figured I should at least tell you, I already discussed it with Hiccup.. I'm going to be berk's merchant, I leave tomorrow.. I've been putting off telling you"

Tuffnut would always remember the last time he saw Snotlout in his old life, it had broke his heart.

But now sitting across from the boy that had a long road a head of him, Tuff was happy, sure he was still injured, but alittle teasing never killed anyone, Snotlout puffed out his chest "Hookfang could Fly circles around you two and your dragon!"

Astrid shushed him, glaring daggers, when Hiccup suddenly stole the spot next to her, "You guys ever seen Bucket like that before?"

"Once but Its normally about his paints, or that time Mulch had accidentally dropped a painting in the sea you should've seen it, Bucket nearly dove their Zippl-" Tuff snapped his mouth shut so hard his teeth clacked together, "Nearly Dove into the water." He tried to fix.

"When did that happen?" Ruffnut tilts her head.

"I.. went- Yak tipping! I went Yak tipping alone, without you. It was before the dragons, obviously."

Ruffnut Narrows her eyes, "you said you wouldn't do that without me." She crossed her arms

He shrugged "sorry sis"

Astrid was already over it, getting up, Hiccup followed her over to the portraits og the chiefs and their heirs. Tuff got up when Fishlegs did, they all followed Astrid.

"Look at all the great leaders" Astrid spoke, "And tomorrow your Picture will be hanging right next to them." She looks at Hiccup.

Snotlout snorts "there goes the neighborhood"

They walk closer to look at the paintings, Fishlegs turning to Hiccup "You're part of an elite group now my friend, and one of the few who wasn't killed by their successor"

"I guess it is a pretty big deal" Hiccup shrugs "I mean, its like being apart of history, Right?"

"History of goofballs" Snotlout chuckles standing infront of the portrait of Hamish the first and his son. "What a clown"

"That is Hamish the first." Fishlegs spoke, "he was out richest and most revered leader, and his son Hamish the second."

Snotlout chuckled, and put on a high pitched snobby voice "I'm Hamish the first, Bow down before me and kiss my pointy shoes"

Tuffnut couldn't help but picture Sir Ulgerthorpe, he rolled his eyes and chuckled, and met Ruffnut's devious eyes and instantly went with her plan, just like before he crawled behind Snotlout as she pretends to bend down to kiss his shoes she suddenly shoves him making Snotlout fall back, over Tuffnut, unlike last time the back of Snotlout's shoe hits his side right on the healing burn, he yelps. Snotlout hits the wall and Tuffnut is rolling to his good side. But still manages to cackle with Ruffnut when the portrait falls off the wall and ontop of Snotlout.

Fishlegs instantly runs to pick up the portrait  "Look what you did to the Hamishes!" He kisses the portrait "Please forgive us" he says, before trying to hang it again. A paper falls from the back of it, and on Snotlout's head.

Tuffnut does not jump for it this time, Snotlout does, instantly on his feet, "woah, looks like some sort of map with poetry"

And just like that Gobber snatched it from Snotlout "I'll take that!"

"Hey! Thats my poetry map!" Snotlout huffed.

"All of these were supposed to be destroyed" Gobber ignored Snotlout, looking at the map.

"Why? whats so special about it?" Astrid asked before trying to reach for the paper, Gobber quickly moved it from her reach.

"Men lost their Limbs, their lives and their minds trying to find that treasure" Gobber spoke, constantly having to move the paper so it wasn't snatched from him.

"I've heard about this!" Fishlegs shouts. Also trying to reach for the paper, Gobber shoots the three grabby teens a look.

"The treasure of Hamish the first, His son buried him with it and left this map." Fishlegs continues. "They say the clues are so complicated that only a brilliant mind could decipher them."

"Stock and I even went after this treasure, it lured us high up into the mountains in a blinding snowstorm. We fought like badgers over the meaning of the clues. We were lucky to make it out with our lives, and our friendship intact" Gobber looked at the teens "for your own good, kids. Forget you ever saw this."

Gobber turned and left them, and the great hall, Tuffnut knew he was going to hide it in his smithy. An unspoken agreement was made as Ruff, Snotlout and Fishlegs all looked at each other and Tuff who nodded as well. When Gobber returned without the paper Tuffnut grinned. the crowd was gathering to see the portrait, Stoick pulled Hiccup infront of all the people of berk who gathered, and had him stand beside him. Bucket nodded to Stoick signaling the portrait was ready to be revealed.

"Here it comes son, this is our legacy."

The moment Bucket pulled the cloth, Tuffnut saw Hiccup's face drop, a hurt expression on his face, It wasn't Hiccup in the painting but what everyone wanted him to be, strong, buff, taller, even his face wasn't his. Tuff never saw Hiccup's reaction before, but now he did. And that hurt his heart, Tuffnut knew more then anything Hiccup was the last person that needed to prove himself even right now, he saved Berk from the Red Death, and faced Alvin for them, and Yet. That wasn't good enough.

"Woah. What happened to Hiccup?" Tuffnut spoke, looking at the portrait, he couldn't believe anyone liked it.

"Who cares?" Astrid spoke, her voice was dreamy, Tuffnut looked at her and then at his sister, both girls were ogling the painting, he shook his head.

"Hey, Bucket? Why am i so.. Like that?" Hiccup motions to the painting.

"Why is the sky blue? Why do I have a Bucket on me head? We'll never know the answers."

Stoick raised a pint of mead, "Oh Bucket! Ya did a brilliant job! Don't you think so son?" Stoick clapped Bucket on the back and Looked to Hiccup.

"But its not me.." Hiccup's voice was small.

"Sure, it is! Its you, but, you know, Bigger and Stronger!" Stoick said

"Now, that's the son of the Chief!" Mulch cheered.

Tuffnut saw Hiccup's face fall even more, how all the adults praised the portrait version of him, how the girls stared at the fake version of Hiccup with dreamy eyes. And yet as much as he wanted to go up there and yell at them all and stand up for Hiccup, he couldn't. This was Hiccup's moment, and sure it hurt to see how betrayed and hurt his leader looked, if he stepped in he could mess everything up, he knew this time Hiccup made them see him, as long as Tuffnut didn't mess it up, it should be fine.

Tuffnut followed Ruffnut, Snotlout and Fishlegs out of the great hall, Snotlout ran ahead after Fishlegs said Gobber might've put it in his hut or smithy. Fishlegs quickly followed wanting to see the map, Ruffnut was practically skipping, "did you see how cool Hiccup looked"

"No, thats not Hiccup." Tuffnut grumbled.

"So?"

"Hiccup doesn't need to be big and strong. He's fine the way he is. Perfect actually."

He kept walking not realizing Ruffnut had paused, staring at him, then she hurried to catch up, "wait a minute." Her tone was one he hadn't heard in years. The tone she used when she figured something out, the hairs on his arms and neck rose, goosebumps prickled his skin, he swallowed wide eyes meeting hers.

Her lips turned into a grin so wide and toothy he'd sworn she had pickpocketed someone of their darkest secrets.

"What?" He asks, his voice a higher pitch then he'd like.

The glint in her eyes scared him, "You. Like. Hiccup."

Tuffnut felt his heart stop, he could've said no, he could've ignored it, but currently he was a hormonal teenager, "w-what! NO!" Tuffnut shouted, shouted so loud he wanted to run away. He thought she was going to say something about the weird stuff he's been saying or doing, he would've preferred it honestly, because this was worse, and Tuff deep down never got over his stupid crush, because Hiccup was Hiccup. How do you get over a man that changed worlds, and Ruffnut knew last time but she found out at the Dragon's edge not here, this was way too early.

Her grin somehow got wider, "You do!"

"NO Shut up!" He hissed. And tried to walk faster, but she kept pace.

"Youuuu like Hiccupp" she sung.

"I DON'T!"

"Yes you dooo, your whole face is pink bro"

Tuffnut yanked his helmet down over his face and held it there and quickly walked. He wanted to scream, he had tried so hard to push it down, ignore it, he swore he wouldn't think of Hiccup more then a leader or friend after Astrid and Hiccup got married, he was loyal to Astrid, and Hiccup. He was going to do everything to get them back together, but this crush, all the times he saw how amazing Hiccup was popped back up like he had no restraint. One mention of it and boom the dam broke.

He thought of alot of guys like that, but Hiccup was no ordinary man, Hiccup fought warlords, Hiccup tamed Dragons, he lead battles, he was smart and cunning, and everything Tuffnut liked, but Hiccup was also everything Astrid liked.

Tuffnut straightened his helmet on his head, and stomped up to Snotlout and Fishlegs. "You two took forever, come on. Fishlegs is watch, you two help me in the window" Snotlout rushed.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut helped Snotlout climb into the window, Ruffnut smirking at her brother, he looked away from her, he wanted to skip ahead to the dragons edge because at least there he had his hiding spots when he got overwhelmed or embarrassed beyond his limit.

"C'mon bro~" she whispered.

"Fine. I like guys. men." he hissed

She quirked an eyebrow, "guys. More then just Hiccup" she could barely keep it down, he had to slap a hand over her mouth, and shush her. But she was practically bouncing around, giddy.

"Cuckoo cuckoo!" Fishlegs shouts

"Okay. Where are they?" Hiccup's voice popped up, Tuffnut practically froze on the spot.

"Who? Whoo-hoo, hoo-hoo!"

"What are you doing?!" Hiccup hissed, as Snotlout fell out of the window, both twins faced Astrid and Hiccup.

"I got the map!" Snotlout holds it up. "And we're finding that Treasure, and you are a horrible look out." Snotlout pointed at Fishlegs.

"You heard what Gobber said. Some of the bravest warriors in history have died trying to find that treasure." Astrid snapped.

"Yeah, and I'm next." Snotlout grins.

"Well I'd personally would like to live to se my next birthday" Astrid crossed her arms.

"But we'll be legends. They'll sing songs about us" Fishlegs spoke.

"You'll be dead!" Astrid hissed, "come on, guys not even Stoick could find it."

Tuffnut's gaze flicked over to Hiccup just in time to see his mood shift and and determination set in his features.

"Give me that map." Hiccup spoke his voice unwavering, as he snatched the map from Snotlout.

"Finally someone is making Sense!" Astrid breathed.

"All right, where do we start?" Hiccup looked it over, as the others gathered arpund him peering over his shoulder to look at the map.

"Are you serious!?"

"Well, think about it Astrid. My father couldn't find this treasure. What- What would he say If I could do something that even Stoick the Vast couldn't do? I- How great would that be?"

"You're gonna go after this no matter what I say right? So yeah, pretty great."

"So you're not gonna give me a hard time about this?" Hiccup asked her.

"Oh, I'll give you a hard time every step of the way. Besides, i can't let you go with just them" Astrid gestured to the others.

"Hey!" Snotlout grumbled.

Hiccup began looking over the map, "looks like the map leads you to these spots"

"And the riddles are clues to what we're supposed to find" Fishlegs continued

"Blah, Blah, Blah. Where's the treasure?" Snotlout snatched the map from Hiccup. "Hmm, Clue number one. Where the land meets the sea, in the crook of the Masters knee, thats where your Search will Be..gin"

"That doesn't sound so brilliant" Ruffnut said.

"The masters knee." Hiccup paused "I've seen this before."

Hiccup quickly walked back to the great hall, the five others following closely, Tuffnut would've snickered seeing one of the villagers eyes the group of fast paced teens but he was too busy ignoring Ruffnut's teasing jabs.

Hiccup pushed past a group of adults admiring the cursed painting, bringing his group over to the portrait of Hamish the first and his son. "See, Look, Right there, where his knee bends. It's pointing to this spot on the beach. Thats where we start."

They Followed Hiccup once more, getting their dragons, and flying to the beach, Hiccup lead the way, Ruffnut kept glancing at Tuffnut, "I can feel you staring, sis."

"Why didn't you tell meee, we could've been talking about boys. I can't believe you kept this from me" she whined.

He shrugged, "didn't feel important, no other guy is gonna wanna be with me anyway"

"Hey. That insults both of us bro"

He opened his mouth to say something when they landed, but Hiccup spoke up holding the map "listen up you guys" he said, before reading it "From here you will see the seed that's been sown, look yo where water turns to bone."

"Water turns to bone? Hamish isn't even trying to make sense." Snotlout looked to Hiccup.

"No, it-.. 'Water turns to Bone'" Hiccup thought hard, "water turns to bone.. He must Mean Ice! The glacier."

Hiccup took off toward the glacier before they could even begin to follow, Toothless making the sand kick up. Astrid waved for the others to follow.

They found an entrance to the icy mountain, slowly stepping inside, Tuffnut immediately hugged his arms, Thorstons and cold don't mix, the dragons following closely, Tuffnut eyed the dead Vikings in the ice, "uh, I don't think we're the first ones here"

"Yeah there's something in there" Astrid spoke.

"Or someone" Ruffnut added.

Fishlegs eyed the frozen man reaching for a metal piece, definitely what they were after, and what he had been after.

"Call on Magni, you'll go astray. Freya Though will show the way." Hiccup read.

"I get it!" Snotlout shouted, ready to bash his head into the ice, right below a booby trap, last time Hiccup and Snotlout had nearly died to it.

"I wouldn't do that" Tuffnut hissed at Snotlout.

"Why? afraid I'll get a brain freeze?"

"No, look up. you muttonhead."

Hiccup, Snotlout and the others all looked up, "okay. New plan, Snotlout doesn't do that" Hiccup spoke.

"Hiccup what is Magni the god of?" He asked.

"Magni.. is the god of strength, so we can't break the Ice!" Hiccup put together.

Fishlegs immediately started thinking too "thats right!"

"And Freya?" Tuffnut looked at them both.

"is the goddess of fire!" Both Hiccup and Fishlegs said in unison, "We have to melt it!" Hiccup shouts.

Tuffnut grins as Hiccup directed Toothless to melt the ice, the night fury carefully heats up the ice, as the group and their dragons waited.

Hiccup reached into the now melted ice and grabbed the hit metal, hand recoiling quickly before he grabs it, pulling it out was just a rusty hunk of metal, nothing special. Aside from the markings.

"Thats it thats the treasure?" Ruffnut spoke.

"No it can't be but I think it'll lead us to it" Hiccup said. "This is just the first piece"

Not even a moment later the glacier shakes, a crack forms from the space where the metal was kept. Hiccup shouted for Toothless, all of the teens scrambled for their dragons as the glacier fell apart. Just managing to zip out as the first massive piece crashed over the exit.

They landed on a high place above the crashing glacier, Hiccup pulled out his map, "At the edge of the world, amidst the raging sea, in the serpents mouth, lies another key"

"That could looks like a snake" Snotlout pointed.

"Yeah and, in five minutes it'll look like a bunny" Astrid grumbled.

"Wait a minute He might be onto something" Hiccup held up the page, "in the mouth lies the key" looking a rock formation that had a mouth, "look right there!"

Hiccup had been ready to take off to get it, but Fishlegs stopped him, "whoa whoa whoa, are you crazy you can't take a dragon with a wing span of 48 feet and expect him to hover in winds like that! You'll be killed."

Hiccup's eyes looked to Meatlug and back to Fishlegs, and then back to Meatlug. "Well, whats the Wing span of Meatlug?" Hiccup said with a slight smirk.

Fishlegs did not like the plan, as Ruff and Tuff tied a rope to Meatlugs saddle, before they could tie it to Hiccup the chief's son was already having Fishlegs take off, "Hiccup!" Tuff snapped "are you crazy! Astrid stared at him, he had beaten her to the punch. They watched Hiccup, the teen that couldn't lift an axe over his head, dangle on a rope without any safety measures, with one hand and his leg.

"He's being reckless" Astrid spoke.

"If he falls and Dies I want Toothless" Snotlout gestured to the Night fury. Toothless grumbled, a growl in his chest and his teeth showing at Snotlout's comment.

"I thought Toothless liked Astrid better then you" Tuffnut grins, chuckling to himself.

"Whoa! Look!" Ruffnut points at Hiccup, who literally slides to the bottom of the rope holding on at the end and swings toward the rocks.

"Oh no can't look" Tuffnut covers his face with his hands but peeks through his fingers. And sees Hiccup use his prosthetic to kick the peice of the key over his head and catch it. None of them spoke after Hiccup and Fishlegs returned and Hiccup lead them to the woods where the giants stone wall was.

Hiccup was trying to fit the pieces together, as Toothless walked, holding up the joined pieces "look they fit together" he held them in his hand "We must be on the right track."

"Hiccup what're you gonna do with your part of the treasure?" Ruffnut asked.

"I'm not really here for the treasure" Hiccup responds.

"Great! I get his share!" Snotlout shouts.

"You know you don't have to do this, right?" Astrid said to Hiccup.

"Yeah, Try telling that to my dad"

They approached the door, Hiccup looked it over. Holding up the map, "this must be the spot. Why else would anybody build a wall in the middle of the woods." They gawked at it, it was impressive gor the most part. Hiccup couldn't take a moment to breathe,"Uh, I got another one for you. "The world is right, when stars align; when not in sync, the danger you'll find."

"Stars!? I'm not waiting around here till night!" Snotlout shouts.

"I don't think it means actual stars, the water didn't actually turn to bone" Hiccup speaks.

"Well what do you think it means Hiccup?" Astrid asked.

"Why are you asking him? Maybe I know." Snotlout huffs earning looks. A moment of silence from all of them, "I said maybe, turns out I don't."

Ruffnut grinned at Tuffnut, as they stayed back, the others all approached the door, Fishlegs was pointing something out, and Tuff was just trying to focus, he looked at her, "fine. You win okay, we can have boy talk"

"You always give up before I do" she smirks.

"Because you never give up" he huffed, when the ground started shaking.

"Put it back Put it back!" Fishlegs shouted.

Snotlout had pulled the wrong stone from the door, and he wasn't strong enough to put it back. "Hookfang! HOOKFANG!"

The monstrous nightmare got distracted by a falling leaf, immediately snapping his attention to his rider on that last cry for him, and running over to push the stone back into place.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut got off Barf and Belch to join the others Ruffnut was extremely happy, Tuffnut had Belch bumping his helmet off which ge had to straighten, the Zippleback didn't want to let him wander off.

Astrid and Hiccup were pointing at the stones, finally picking out the second star, and turning to the twins, "Ruff, Tuff." Hiccup pointed out the stars.

They didn't need to be told twice, both twins gestured to their Zippleback, motioning for them to pull the separate stones. Barf and Belch were happy to help, the moment they pulled the stones loose the door rumbled and opened, and Barf and Belch gurgled and sparked proudly.

Tuff smiled at his dragon and motioned them to lower their heads. So he could give them both chin scratches. Ruff quickly joined to show her appreciation as well, Tuffnut couldn't be the only one giving them attention that just wasn't fair.

Hiccup was already on the move, Astrid following him closely. Ruff and Tuff followed them, Snotlout was hesitant of the stone door, and Fishlegs was in awe, but they too went into the dark cave, their dragons going in after them, Toothless was the last one, when suddenly the stone door slammed shut nearly clipping Toothless on the tail, and trapping them.

Astrid and Hiccup had their dragons light torches, they held the lights up for the others to see.

They came across a room, it was round and the floor was dimly lit, seven pillars, each holding a metal piece, different metals. Tuffnut could hardly see but made out iron, gold, sliver just by looks.

"Eugh its so hot, is anybody else hot? Cause I'm really hot." Snotlout pointed out the overwhelming heat in the room.

Tuffnut couldn't stand the heat, the burn on his side was starting to flare up. And he was sweating profusely, "I know. I'm sweating like a dragon at an eel party"

"Guys is it just me or is the floor moving?" Astrid spoke up.

Hiccup lowered his torch to the ground, and about twenty fireworms scattered. Doing the same on his other side "uh Toothless can you guve us some light?"

The Night fury rumbles softly. Shooting a plasma blast, hundreds to thousands of the little menaces filled the room.

"Fireworm dragons!" Fishlegs shouts.

Suddenly the whole floor lit up as all the fireworms started glowing, their skin now do hot they could be compared to lava if not the sun. Three of them crawled onto Hiccup's leg and he shouted in pain, kicking them off, Toothless started firing at the tiny dragons, followed by their rest of their dragons trying to keep their riders safe.

Barf and Belch hissed and snapped at the molten worms, Hookfang literally shoved Snotlout behind him. Meatlug practically tried to curl around Fishlegs, Stormfly tucked Astrid to her side. The dragons cleared the pit of the little things but flames filled the rest of the room.

Hiccp walked past the fire like he had a death wish.

"Grab em and lets go!" Snotlout urged.

"No its a choice!" Hiccup shouted back, "listen to this guys, something pure and something strong, look first to yourself, and you won't go wrong."

"Strong.. that must be the one made of Iron!" Fishlegs calls.

"But Irons not pure! Take the gold!" Astrid butted in.

"No Hiccup, its neither of those! Its your choice!" Tuffnut shouts.

Hookfang was out of firepower, Fireworms started pouring back inti the pit, Meatlug tries to cover both hers and Hookfangs spots but she was only one dragon.

"Its getting really hard to breathe!" Astrid called.

"Thats what happens when you're getting roasted alive!" Fishlegs cried. "You might wanna make a decision soon Hiccup we don't have much time!"

Tuffnut felt dizzy, his brain pulsed in his skull, and it was like his burned skin was growing, or maybe it was burning up so much it was most of what he could feel, Ruffnut had to catch him before he fell over, "Uh Tuff's not doing so hot!"

Fireworms surrounded Hiccup, Toothless had jumped to clear them before Hiccup was burned again. "Look to yourself.." Hiccup muttered.

"Careful it could be a trap!" Astrid shouts.

"You choose now to say that!?" Tuffnut grumbles.

But she was right, Hiccup grabbed a piece of metal, and All the fireworms scattered, the floor beneath Hiccup gaveway. Both Hiccup and Toothless fell. "Hiccup! Oh no! Hiccup!" Astrid's voice breaks.

The ceiling starts falling, Astrid is leaning over the edge of the chasm, a boulder falling right over her, Tuff pushes himself to grab her arm and pull her back, "C'mon! We gotta get outta here!" He yells.

"There!" Snotlout points to a hole in the ceiling, an escape.

Fishlegs and the others start mounting their dragons before they are crushed, when Astrid grabs Fishlegs and pulls him back "No! We're not leaving them!" She cried.

"If we don't go now we'll all be trapped! There won't be anybody to help Hiccup!" Fishlegs spoke with surprisingly levelheadedness and a calm tone, it snapped Astrid out of it. She ran to Stormfly and mounted her dragon

Snotlout zipped out of the opening right behind the twins. Fishlegs close behind him, Astrid hot on his tail. The cave collapsed right as they managed to get out.

They all land and dismount quickly, digging at the rubble, Fishlegs tosses rock after rock to Meatlug, the gronkle happy to take take of them. Ruffnut cuts her palm on a jagged rock, bit keeps digging. Snotlout has Hookfang throw bigger rocks to the side.

"Keep digging!" Astrid's voice is tight, she throws everything she has into trying to clear the rubble, "we have to find them!"

"Find who?" Stoick's voice cuts through the air, all five pairs of hands and accompanying claws freeze. Stoick looks over the group, and realizes "Son"

Stoick joined them in trying to clear the rubble, pushing Tuff to the side alittle so he could get a clear go at the rocks, Tuffnut didn't mind he felt like falling over any moment, but he didn't want give up, he wondered if he messed up, if Hiccup choose right, what if he said the wrong thing and Hiccup grabbed the wrong piece.. he couldn't live with himself if Hiccup died.

"Keep digging, thats my son in there!" Stoick shouts.

They all turned in time to see the entire hill behind them collapsed, "Son!" Stoick shouts, when in the dust a quill is held high, Hiccuo stands untouched.

"Son." Stoick runs to his son.

"Hey dad" Hiccup spoke, seeing his father run to embrace him he jumps for it. Being enveloped in his fathers arms. Stoick spins Hiccup around, happy his son is alive.

Hiccup squeaks "uh dad I can't breathe!"

Stoick finally sets him down, and all the others run up to Hiccup, "you're alive!" "You made it out!" "Are you okay!?"

"Blah blah blah! Wheres the treasure!?" Snotlout shouts.

And Hiccup holds up a paper, unrolling it, "this is Hamish's real son"

Snotlout lets his shoulders slump, "but thats not Treasure"

"To a father it is" Stoick smiled proudly. He knelt down to look Hiccup in the eye. "I never meant to make ya feel like you had to do something like this"

"I know dad, but I had to do it. For myself"

--☆--

"Ow Ow! Careful, ow! Ruff, you're doing that on purpose!" Tuffnut complains.

"Hey what did you expect! We haven't been able to do this in three weeks" Ruffnut pokes his shoulder, brushing through his hair more. "Plus you're probably tender from getting your head smashed up"

"Whatever" he huffs. Leaning back as she brushes out some knots.

"Next time we should grab Snotlout, he actually did great job with my hair last time" Ruffnut says.

"And I don't?"

"Yeah you do but we always do this dummy, he was actually tolerable for a while after that"

"He wasn't today?"

"Bro Hiccup was buried alive and he was more concerned about the treasure"

"For a moment there he seemed worried to me"

"Hows the burn anyway you almost passed out in the cave"

"Its a burn, I'll live, hows the hand"

"I'll live" she chuckles, sticking her hand in his view, its bandaged and treated. He made sure of it.

"Now about boy talk" she grins.

He rolled his eyes, and smiled.  Maybe this was for the best. "Soo.. you Know that guy"

--☆--

It was nearly three weeks since he'd last seen Snare, two weeks sleeping through the worst of it, and a week of supervision, He felt awful, like he had abandoned him.

That was until the full weight of a Deadly Nadder crashed into him, a happy squawking and chirping Snare stood over him, his beak nuzzling against him. If nadder's could wag their tails like dogs that would be Snare, instead the dragon was practically vibrating, jumping around on his talons and waving his wings happily.

Tuff gave the best chin scratches he could, Snare toppled over, he'd found the spot that practically deactivates the nadder, Snare hums laying on the grass, a huff of air from his nose as he's relaxed. Tuff smiled and sat down on the grass, pulling Snare's big head into his lap, setting the bag of fish next to him.

Sure Mildew was still on berk. But soon, they won't have to worry about him. And Tuffnut could actually sleep without having nightmares well.. about Mildew at least. He had a Feeling thr ones about the Red Death weren't going away any time soon.

°•☆ Bonus! Dragon Reactions to Tuff being awake ☆•°

--Toothless--
Hiccup had to help him down each step, he felt humiliated, and weak. Hiccup didn't say anything, and was more encouraging then anything. Finally at the bottom of Gothi's steps was when he heard Hiccup.

"Wait bud! Toothless!"

And Tuff was thrown was thrown off his feet, surprisingly though he didn't hit the ground, Toothless had rolled with him, and cushioned the fall, Tuffnut couldn't stop the dragon from licking his face and arms, not that he would Toothless kisses were normally reserved for Hiccup, so they were welcomed, he giggled and rolled as the dragon was so happy to see him up, and okay.

"You know that doesn't wash out, Tuff"  Hiccup spoke a smile on his face.

-- Barf and Belch --
He was upset, the council was just keeping Mildew on berk, he wanted to punch something, to scream or cry. The old geezer was just going to keep trying to hurt the dragons, the riders, him even more now and all of berk.

"WHOA! BRO LOOK OUT!" Ruffnut's voice shouted, as he looked up from the great hall steps. Barf and Belch were b-lining for him.

He stood but it was too late, his feet no longer touched the ground and he was in the air, Barf and Belch had taken him, wrapped up by both necks as Barf and Belch squeezed him, he squeaks, and they land, letting him down, but they continue to nuzzle and push him. Belch licks the side of his face and Barf takes his Helmet. "Hey guys, you miss me?"

Ruffnut dismounted, "Bro they were so in the dumps, They only ate if they could see me"

"Oh" Tuffnut pouts "you guys must be hungry, don't worry I'm staying right here" he uttered, putting his forehead to Belch's nose, and doing the same to Barf, the Zippleback wasn't about to let him out of their sight.

-- Meatlug, Hookfang & Stormfly--
It must've been something, walking into the academy with Hiccup and Ruffnut, he was swarmed, not only by Fishlegs, Snotlout and Astrid.

But their dragons, Meatlug had a habit of throwing her entire body weight at people when she was happy. Mostly Fishlegs because he could manage it, Tuffnut saw his life flash before his eyes, and multiple faces of his friends going wide eyed and shouting, but it was done, Meatlug slammed into him like a boulder, his saving grace was Hookfang, who had been behind him, but now he was squished.

Hookfang looked down at him with big eyes, and Meatlug was wagging her tail at speeds unknown to man, she licked him head to toe, while Hookfang sniffed his hair, his helmet must've fallen off somewhere.

Not somewhere, but someone, Stormfly had joined the other two, she had his helmet, holding it out of reach, she chirped and looked him over, before pushing her beak against his arm.

He was only freed when their riders offered them snacks.