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11. Worst Adventure Turns Into The Best Day Ever

"Did you see that, dad? This one's a Monstrous Nightmare. Yeah!" The young boy swung the sword at a fallen tree before moving onto another one. "And this one's a Deadly Nadder. Not as deadly as me, though. Right, dad?"

Hiccup stopped swinging the wooden sword and I picked up a pinecone that was softer and less pointy than all the others.

"Not really as monstrous either." Stoick told his son. I smiled and dropped my other pinecones. Hiccup continued to swing the sword.

"Look, Chief! It's so soft!" I held up the pinecone so he could see.

He smiled and shook his head, "Why do you insist on calling me that?" He asked. When I first started talking, I learned that people called him Chief. Sometimes it annoyed him, but other times he just laughed and smiled.

"Because I like to see your reaction." I answered simply before getting distracted by what I was going to name the pinecone. My face scrunched up in concentration. "What's a good name for a pinecone?"

"You're gonna name that pinecone?" Our father smiled amused.

"Yeah...Ooh! I got it! Penelope." I annouced.

"Whatever you say, lass." He looked at Hiccup. I turned to see him staring at a baby bird.

My brother bent down. "Uh? What's wrong with him, dad?"

Stoick and I knelt down beside him. I looked at the bird sympathetically as the chief answered, "It fell from its nest and broke its wing. Ah, very sad. But these things happen, son. The only right thing to do is end it's suffering. Head on down the path." He told us.

"No, dad!" Hiccup protested."No."

"Hiccup."

"Can't we help him? He's little like me. Can't we help him get better?" The young boy sniffled.

"Please?" I added, tears threatening to spill.

Eventually, our father spoke, "Go fetch me a twig."

"Okay." Hiccup and I quickly found a suitable twig and handed it our father.

"Here."

Stock picked up the bird and placed him in Hiccup's hands. "Hold him very carefully." He instructed.

The chief ripped a piece of cloth off of his undershirt and started to make a splint. "He's your responsibility, kids, you must feed him and care for him. Until he's able to fly free and return to the wild."

"We will, dad. We promise." Hiccup said. Stock smiled softly.

"Look, Hiccup, they're friends." I showed Penelope to my brother.

"That's a pinecone, Tu." He looked at me unamused before turning back to the bird in his hands.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes at him, my voice squeaky. I heard my fathers contagious laugh from behind me.

The next morning I woke up and took a piece of bread from my saddle bag. The dragons decided they wanted to find their own food.

"You two can stay here but I'm gonna go find some fresh water." I announced and started to walk off into the forest, dagger in it's sheath on my belt.

I walked quite a ways before I said, "Oh! Perfect." I saw a small stream not to far from where I was standing.

I walked up to it and bent down, scooping up some water and drinking it. I heard a rustle of bushes behind me and turned around. Cautiously, I called out. "Saph? Chip?"