Hiccup traced the outline of the dragon painted on his shield in the arena. Technically, he was supposed to be surviving a Deadly Nadder - in a maze - but he was still preoccupied with the occurrences of the previous night. To add to it all, Ember wasn't there.

He yelled up to Gobber, who was watching the "training" from outside the ring. "You know, I just happened to notice that the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?"

The Nadder saw him and tried to roast him, but ended up just blasting the head of off his battle ax.

Hiccup yelped and ran.

"FOCUS, Hiccup! You're not even trying," Gobber snapped. Then he turned his attention to the entire group. "Today is all about attack."

The dragon hopped nimbly from wall to wall.

"Nadders are quick, and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter."

Just then, the dragon spotted Fishlegs and snapped its tail, sending sharp spikes in his direction. Fishlegs shrieked and cowered out of the way.

"I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods!"

Gobber yawned. "Look for its blind spot - every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut rolled easily into the Nadder's blind spot, which was right under its head. They were a little smashed together.

"Do you ever bathe?!" Ruffnut muttered.

"If you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot!"

"How 'bout I give you one!"

The Nadder snapped at them, nearly taking their heads off.

"Blind spot? Yes. Deaf spot? Not so much," Gobber informed them.

The others darted past Gobber's post, but Hiccup slowed down and started taking again. "Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?"

"No one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. NOW GET IN THERE!!"

"I know, I know. But, hypothetically-"

"Hiccup!" a whispered/yell reached his ears from Astrid, who put a finger to her lips. Just as Hiccup ducked down, the dragon leapt over the wall and landed in front of her.

Astrid summersaulted into her blind spot.

Her? Hiccup found himself thinking of dragons as more than just... mindless creatures every minute.

It isn't such a bad way to think, he reflected.

Astrid got ready to strike the Nadder, but Snotlout moved her behind him. "Watch out, babe. I got this." He swung- and missed.

Astrid glared at him.

"The... sun was in my eyes, Astrid. What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!" She was already gone.

She leapt around, moving through the ring like some sort of expert gymnast. The dragon took off after her, knocking down walls as it went.

Hiccup, meanwhile, was yelling up to Gobber again. "They probably take the daytime off. You know, like a cat. Has anyone every seen one napping?"

"HICCUP!!" Gobber bellowed.

So did Astrid. She came careening towards him and they slammed into each other.

"Ooh," Tuffnut said, "Love on the battlefield!"

"She could do better," Ruff said.

They tried to get untangled, but it wasn't really working, and Hiccup's stuttering didn't help much either. "Just... let me... why don't you..."

As the dragon came running towards them, Astrid got out of the mess, but her battle ax was stuck in Hiccup's shield. She put her foot on his chest and tried to yank it free, and it came off, still stuck in the shield.

She whirled around and slammed the splintered wood into the side of the Nadder's head, who yelped and cowered away.

"Well done, Astid," Gobber said as he wrestled the dragon back into her cage.

Astrid then turned to Hiccup, furious and breathing hard. "Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on."

Hiccup watched, hurt and confused, as she stormed away.

~~~~

Ember brushed some of her hair out of her face as she doused the red-hot blade in cold water.

She heard the door open, and turned to see- "Hiccup..."

"Uh... Hey," he said.

Instead of beating around the bush, Ember said, "Look, I know what you think of me right now, but I can explain. I... I just... About the drawings-"

"I never knew you drew," Hiccup said.

She blinked. "Huh?"

Hiccup felt strange, acting like he didn't know her secret. But it seemed like the only way he could give her the notebook without pressuring her into some sort of confession, and he didn't want to do that to her.

He handed her the book, with a small smile. "Thanks for the notes. I'll talk to you later?"

"Uh... Sure?"

Then he left, leaving a confused best friend behind him.

~~~~

The Night Fury sat bored in the cove. There was nothing for him to do, as he couldn't fly or hunt. "Those damn fish..." he muttered.

He heard someone clomping towards the cove. He moved quickly to a tall rock, and waited, hunched and ready to attack.

A dead fish plopped inside the sheer walls.

Huh?

Then came a dull thud.

What the...?

The Dragon was confused, more confused than he'd ever been. Then Boy walked in, and picked up the fish.

He tensed, ready to pounce. Just before he could leap onto Boy's head, he turned and saw him.

He inhaled sharply, stepping back.

The Dragon walked down the rock, still tense and on edge, but conveying a more hostile mood.

Boy held out the fish. As some sort of offering? Of peace?

Then he spotted the knife. He growled, ready to jump on Boy.

And then Boy reached for it.

What could he do if Boy came at him? He couldn't fly away, and he knew he wouldn't be able to bring himself to kill Boy.

But Boy doesn't know that.

He growled, lifting a paw, ready to strike.

Boy... paused. Then he held the knife by the very end and dropped it by his foot.

The Night Fury narrowed his eyes. "Move it away, Boy," he growled.

Boy seemed to understand as he lifted the knife with his foot and threw it into the pond.

Once the ripples died down, the Dragon calmed. Still not completely at ease, but more willing to trust - or at least listen.

Then Boy held out the fish again.

He approached slowly, inching forward one leg at a time. He opened his mouth and-

"Huh," Boy said. "Toothless. I could've sworn you had-"

The Dragon revealed his retractable teeth and snapped up the fish.

"-teeth."

He licked his lips and then his pupils narrowed again. He walked forward, sniffing.

Boy backed up, nervous. "Uh... No. No no no. I don't have any more." Then he was backed against a rock, just like before, and the Dragon stared blankly.

Then he began to retch.

Soon enough, half of the fish sat in Boy's lap.

The Dragon sat back on his haunches, looking at him expectantly.

Boy didn't get it.

The powerful Night Fury looked down at the half-fish and back at Boy's face, trying to communicate what he was supposed to do.

The Dragon swallowed, wondering if that would help.

Then he got it.

Boy picked up the fish, looking somewhat disgusted, and took a small bite. "Mmmm. Mm hm!"

He made a strange face that the Dragon didn't immediately recognize, but it seemed... nice.

The Dragon mimicked him, opening his mouth partly, drawing the corners of his lips back. His teeth were retracted, as was usual for him.

Boy began to smile brighter, and stood up.

He reached out to the Dragon, who hissed and backed up. He "flew" to the other side of the cove, and blasted the ground with fire, which was more concentrated than usual.

He circled and pawed the charred ground. Then he laid down, ready for a nap.

A bird flew through the air overhead, and the Dragon watched it wistfully. He dropped his gaze to- Boy. He was sitting nearby, and lifted a hand in a cheesy greeting.

He huffed, and his ear flaps dropped, annoyed. He placed his head back on the ground, and flipped his tail in front of him.

Well, I finally found a use for this, he thought as he opened his remaining tail flap in front of his face.

He sensed Boy reaching for his tail and snapped it upward, his eyes unamused and saying, "Caught in the act."

Boy stood quickly and walked away.

The Night Fury stood up and walked over to a tree branch. He flung himself over it, folding his wings around him, and his tail hung pointlessly.

But he couldn't help being curious about Boy, sitting all alone over on the other side.

Instead of laying there, trying to sleep, the Dragon got up and walked over.

Boy was drawing in the dirt, using a twig he'd picked up. The Dragon didn't quite know what to do, so he just scooted closer, looking over his shoulder. It was a small drawing, nothing too detailed or overly artistic.

It was a drawing of... himself. The Dragon blinked, and he couldn't help feeling somewhat honored.

That this Boy would use his talents to honor a Dragon convinced him to share a Sacred Tradition with Boy.

He blundered over to the tree, on two legs, and broke off a large limb. Holding it between his teeth, he scratch a random pattern in the ground.

He tried not to feel self-conscious under Boy's confused gaze.

However, it wasn't a problem a few moments later as he lost himself in the Tradition.

He looked over his "masterpiece" and nodded when he finished. He discarded the limb and looked at Boy, who was standing in the midst of the doodle.

He seemed to understand that he was supposed to move. He put his foot down on the line. "No," he growled softly, trying to convey the message, but not scare him.

He lifted his foot. And put it back down on the line. "No!"

He lifted his foot again, and placed it back on the line. "Boy! Do not touch the line!" he growled insistently, rather exasperated.

Boy grinned cheekily, and put his foot in the space.

The Dragon watched as Boy moved from space to space, taking care not to step on the lines. He turned and moved closer to the Dragon with every step.

Then he backed into him.

He stepped away, nervous.

The Night Fury's green eyes brightened with curiously, full of wonder and intelligence.

Boy turned his face away and held out his hand.

What-?

The Dragon hesitated once before pressing his dark scales against Boy's soft hand. He closed his eyes for the moment of contact, but drew back quickly.

And shook his head, his pupils narrowing to their customary size as he loped away.

Looking over his shoulder, he found that he trusted Boy now, and accepted the name he had inadvertently been given.

Toothless.