No one knew when it really began, mainly because they didn't want to remember it. Life on Berk was smooth, even though the transition from one Chief to the next was a little rough at first. Hiccup Haddock had made it through his first few months when things began to change. At first, the dragons who lived at Berk alongside the savage vikings became uneased. Then a dragon would go missing, then another, and another. Then it was a viking who went missing. People would report the screams of both dragons and people at night. Other would claim seeing the shape something big in the water while on night patrol. Before anyone knew it, Berk was once again in danger.
Something would come at night, at least once every two weeks, and raid the viking village. Dragon lives and human lives were lost each time the gruesome beast attacked. Almost a third of the human population was taken or killed by the beast. The dragon population had been cut in half. No one had ever caught a glimpse of it, not even the great Hiccup. The worst part of the problem; there seemed to be no way to defend Berk.
Dragons and their riders were found dead after every attack. Sometimes, only pieces of them were recovered. Occasionally, there was nothing to bury but a lock of burnt hair or an axe. There were next to no dragon riders left, meaning Berk's once terrifying number of defenders had dwindled into the teens.
The young chief groaned, his face pressed against his wooden desk. What was Hiccup going to do? There was another attack last night, with another three villagers confirmed to be dead and two more missing, one of which an eight-year-old child. He slowly sat up, brushing the soot and dust from his face. He was so tired of all of this. If his father was still here, maybe Berk would still have a chance...The brown haired man jumped as a purring noise behind him snapped him out of his early-morning trance. Dark, olive eyes met the glowing green gaze of a rather large reptile. "I know, bud, I know. We'll figure it out," Hiccup said to his best friend, Toothless the Night Fury, "I just hope it's sooner than later." He knew the sun was starting to peek out over the hills of Berk. Another night without a single wink of sleep.
Hiccup took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for what waited outside his front door; total and utter chaos. "Let's go, Toothless." He cooed to the black, scaly beast as he got his feet. Well, his foot and metal peg. Toothless shook his head in agreement and followed Hiccup towards the door. The green eyed man pushed opened his door, grimacing at the all-too familiar stench of burnt wood and flesh. Today? Today was gonna be a win...not.
Especially with a all-too familiar muttonhead headbutting him as Hiccup's door opened.
Hiccup cried out as Bodil rammed her heart-shaped head into his chest, growling like a wild creature. "Morn'n, Chief! 'Bout time you woke up and smelled the death!" She greeted with a smirk as the one-legged man fell to the ground. She crossed her arms as Toothless roared at the strong viking. "Wh-what was that for!?" Hiccup stuttered, not at all surprised by how terribly his morning was going.
The woman who stood before Hiccup was the stereotypical viking. Muscular, rough, kinda ugly, a little insane, and always looking for a fight. Bodil even stood at about five feet, she was nothing but muscle and mean. She had terrifying blue-green eyes that nobody who was smart would look into. Her hair was shaved on one side of her head, the other side was a tangled mess of braids and wooden beads.
"You gotta deal with the body count. We've been waiting for you to wake the f*** up and get going. We need you to tell us what to do, or I'll start fart'n out orders." Bodil threatened with a stupidly cocky smirk. "And I bet none of us want that."
Hiccup scowled, getting up off of his wooden floor. He hadn't even stepped outside yet before life started to attack him! "As if anyone would listen to you, Bodil." His eyes loomed over the destruction. A few huts were still smoldering from fire. Broken weapons and scales littered the ground. People were starting pile the dead by the blacksmith, while the wounded lined up for Gothi's care. "How many so far?" Hiccup asked, waiting for someone, anyone to answer him.
Something would come at night, at least once every two weeks, and raid the viking village. Dragon lives and human lives were lost each time the gruesome beast attacked. Almost a third of the human population was taken or killed by the beast. The dragon population had been cut in half. No one had ever caught a glimpse of it, not even the great Hiccup. The worst part of the problem; there seemed to be no way to defend Berk.
Dragons and their riders were found dead after every attack. Sometimes, only pieces of them were recovered. Occasionally, there was nothing to bury but a lock of burnt hair or an axe. There were next to no dragon riders left, meaning Berk's once terrifying number of defenders had dwindled into the teens.
The young chief groaned, his face pressed against his wooden desk. What was Hiccup going to do? There was another attack last night, with another three villagers confirmed to be dead and two more missing, one of which an eight-year-old child. He slowly sat up, brushing the soot and dust from his face. He was so tired of all of this. If his father was still here, maybe Berk would still have a chance...The brown haired man jumped as a purring noise behind him snapped him out of his early-morning trance. Dark, olive eyes met the glowing green gaze of a rather large reptile. "I know, bud, I know. We'll figure it out," Hiccup said to his best friend, Toothless the Night Fury, "I just hope it's sooner than later." He knew the sun was starting to peek out over the hills of Berk. Another night without a single wink of sleep.
Hiccup took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for what waited outside his front door; total and utter chaos. "Let's go, Toothless." He cooed to the black, scaly beast as he got his feet. Well, his foot and metal peg. Toothless shook his head in agreement and followed Hiccup towards the door. The green eyed man pushed opened his door, grimacing at the all-too familiar stench of burnt wood and flesh. Today? Today was gonna be a win...not.
Especially with a all-too familiar muttonhead headbutting him as Hiccup's door opened.
Hiccup cried out as Bodil rammed her heart-shaped head into his chest, growling like a wild creature. "Morn'n, Chief! 'Bout time you woke up and smelled the death!" She greeted with a smirk as the one-legged man fell to the ground. She crossed her arms as Toothless roared at the strong viking. "Wh-what was that for!?" Hiccup stuttered, not at all surprised by how terribly his morning was going.
The woman who stood before Hiccup was the stereotypical viking. Muscular, rough, kinda ugly, a little insane, and always looking for a fight. Bodil even stood at about five feet, she was nothing but muscle and mean. She had terrifying blue-green eyes that nobody who was smart would look into. Her hair was shaved on one side of her head, the other side was a tangled mess of braids and wooden beads.
"You gotta deal with the body count. We've been waiting for you to wake the f*** up and get going. We need you to tell us what to do, or I'll start fart'n out orders." Bodil threatened with a stupidly cocky smirk. "And I bet none of us want that."
Hiccup scowled, getting up off of his wooden floor. He hadn't even stepped outside yet before life started to attack him! "As if anyone would listen to you, Bodil." His eyes loomed over the destruction. A few huts were still smoldering from fire. Broken weapons and scales littered the ground. People were starting pile the dead by the blacksmith, while the wounded lined up for Gothi's care. "How many so far?" Hiccup asked, waiting for someone, anyone to answer him.