HTTYD .:. Snowbound

The winter months were always the worst. Not only did the snowstorms last for days on end, but also cold seemed to creep in through every crack in the wooden buildings, freezing body parts and causing frost to build up on chamber pot seats. Many a Viking was seen to be walking around during the few sunlit days favoring their rear ends.

Fortunately, this year, the Vikings of Berk had a good source of heat to keep from freezing. Following Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III's example, every home on the island had at least one dragon to warm the house. Which isn't to say that occasionally a Viking wouldn't be heard to curse loudly and loud crashing and splashing also be heard to be coming from various homes during the coldest days. The dragons could only do so much to combat the cold weather. Of course, some of the time, they did too much.

The home of the chief, Stoick the Vast was not excepted from this misfortune. In fact, at the very moment this story begins, there is smoke issuing from the lower windows and loud noises from within...

"HICCUP!"

The teenager winced as he heard his father bellowing from downstairs. "Coming, Dad." Reaching for the rail he had installed for his stairway, he made his way down into a smoky mess. "Oh, Toothless, not again!"

A dark shape bounded up to him through the smoke. Bright green eyes looked up at him sorrowfully from the bottom of the stairs.

Another, larger shape grabbed him by the back of his shirt and placed him on the floor, steadying him as his prosthetic leg wobbled beneath his weight. "Son..."

"Yes, Dad, I know. I'll clean it up. Again."

"Hiccup, we really need to do something about your dragon. This is the sixth time he's set the house on fire."

"Accidentally! He's just tired of being cooped up."

"We all are, son, but until the storms pass he's going to have to stay right here," the massive Viking chief replied, waving his arms around to try to clear away some of the smoke.

Hiccup sighed and rubbed his dragon's head. "I know, I know. It's just that...he shouldn't have to be stuck in here. He wants to fly," he finished quietly.

"Hiccup, I know you both miss flying but what if you're up there and a storm moves in without warning? You wouldn't be able to find your way back home. Now, how about you start on this mess. I need to go speak to Gobber."

The teenager nodded and grabbed a broom to begin sweeping up the ashes on the floor. Once Stoick had left, Toothless poked his nose at the moving broom and sniffed deeply. "Oh, please not again," Hiccup muttered, dropping the broom and diving for cover as the dragon's face contorted.

A loud explosion followed soon after.

"Thank you so very much for that, you insane reptile," Hiccup growled as he pulled himself upright again, now covered with ash and tiny flames. Brushing the embers from his hair as best he could, he glared at the cowering Night Fury. "After the last two times, you couldn't remember that breathing in the ash makes you sneeze? And that just makes things even worse?"

The dragon whimpered and slowly moved to rub against Hiccup's good leg.

The teenager sighed and plopped down on the floor next to the dragon, running his hand over the warm, dark scales. "I'm sorry. I'm just as sick and tired of being cooped up as you are." His gaze traveled up the stairs to where he could see his handcrafted saddle hanging on the wall. "I have to admit, safe or not, it would be nice to see the island from above during the winter." Toothless's quietly hummed agreement snapped Hiccup out of his thoughts. "Alright then, let's do it, bud."

Toothless was on his feet in a split second, looking toward the door eagerly.

Using the almost bouncing dragon to pull himself up, Hiccup made his way up the stairs and carried down his saddle. Quickly getting the excited dragon hooked up, he bundled himself in his winter furs and opened the heavy wooden door...only to immediately slam it shut again.

Viking and dragon looked at each other for a moment before simultaneously shaking the snow from themselves.

Once Toothless no longer resembled a snow dragon, he walked over and blew a steady stream of flames into the darkened fireplace before laying down as close to the new fire as possible.

"O-okay," Hiccup stuttered, stumbling to the fireplace and holding his already blue hands towards the flames. "M-maybe n-not t-today."

When the teenager had finally stopped shivering, he sat down next to his dragon and leaned gratefully against the warmth.  
They soon both fell asleep.

That was how Stoick found them a few hours later. Taking in Toothless's saddle and Hiccup's furs, he merely picked up what was left of the broom and with a sigh began to tidy up the mess. All a part of having a dragon tamer for a son, he mused to himself.