(Untitled)

[trytobegood]

It had been just over a month since I was displaced to this strange and mysterious island, and I found myself missing Terre d'Ange and my loved ones there more than ever. My time in Tiberium and Lucca had been somewhat different; even if I had at times despaired of ever seeing home again, I yet knew where that home was located in relation to my

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[a_real_viking]

Despite having been here quite a few months and having a dragon for a friend, Hiccup still couldn't get over how many horses were here. The only horses he saw with any regularity back on Berk were a scrubby little herd of wild ponies on the far edge of the land that plainly had no interest in humans. As most of the vikings had very little interest in peaceably integrating wild ponies into the community, the idea had been quickly struck off and the ponies dismissed as "great big rats."

Maybe if they'd seen horses like these, they might have changed their minds.

Hiccup thought he could understand that joyful whoop a little and he looked over at Toothless, grinning. "Think you could go that fast?" The dragon just rolled his eyes while Hiccup waved.

[trytobegood]

We were moving swiftly along the beach, the Bastard glad for such a space in which to run, the trees to one side and the water to the other both rushing by at a blur. But despite that, I daresay it would have been impossible for both myself and my horse to miss the boy - or rather, the large black creature that was with the boy. The Bastard let out a startled whinny, coming to a near halt so quickly I was nearly unseated, though I managed to hang on.

"Easy, easy," I said in as firm and soothing a voice as I could muster as he danced to and fro, his hooves kicking up little sprays of sand. The boy waved, and I would have returned the gesture, but both my hands were occupied with keeping a tight hold on the reins. I did not think the Bastard was truly spooked, merely startled, but he was difficult to control on the best of days.

[a_real_viking]

Toothless raised his head a little, ears back and eyes narrowed as he tried to decide what he felt about the other creature's alarm, but didn't move. It took Hiccup a little longer, though, to make the connection between his friend's stillness and the horse and then he groaned inwardly again. He probably should have thought of this and he dismounted, one hand at Toothless' shoulder.

"Hi. Uh. Look, he's..." Not harmless. "He's not gonna hurt your horse. We didn't mean to startle you."

[trytobegood]

"I appreciate the assurance," I replied, though I continued to keep the Bastard tightly reigned in. He seemed to be settling into a kind of wary unease, which was certainly better than him throwing me, but I kept a close eye on his movements. "What - manner of creature is your animal, if I may inquire? I have never seen anything like it."

[a_real_viking]

Watching the horse at least settle seemed to put Toothless more at ease as well, calming him enough to take a seat in the sand, his wide head brushing at Hiccup's shoulder. In the corner of his eye, Hiccup could see that Toothless' pupils were wide and calm and it all seemed like a good sign.

"He's, um. Well, he's a dragon. Sounds crazy I know, but he is."

[trytobegood]

A dragon. I could not recall ever hearing of such a creature. "He is magnificent," I said, and the Bastard snorted quietly, though in agreement or scorn, I could not tell.

[a_real_viking]

When the horse snorted, Toothless' eyes narrowed and Hiccup put a firmer hand to the dragon's shoulder, a silent reminder to behave.

"Yeah, he's pretty much amazing. His name is Toothless." Only as an afterthought did he add, "I'm Hiccup."

[trytobegood]

"Well met, Hiccup, Toothless," I replied, giving each of them a tilt of my head. "I'm Imriel, and this is the Bastard."

[a_real_viking]

Hiccup couldn't help breaking out into a huge grin when he heard the horse's name. "The Bastard, huh?" he asked, laughing. "Pretty straightforward. I'm kind of impressed."