It's been a few years since the battle with the Red Death, and since then life on Berk had been thriving. The inhabitants of the island were no longer worried of a dragon raid, but were now waiting with anticipation for the dragon racing to begin.

Hiccup was racing with his friends, happy and feeling like nothing could possibly ruin his mood. He clicked the tail fin, and Toothless banked sharply, swerving around Fishlegs and Meatlug as he slowly took the lead. As Night Furies were the fastest dragons and Hiccup was the best rider, they always started behind the others - but that didn't stop them from winning almost every time, much to Astrid's disappointment, though seeing him happy, it was hard to be mad at him.

As he and Toothless streaked through the air, passing the others and gradually taking the lead, Hiccup thought back to what had happened over the past few years. It had been two or three years since the fall of the Red Death at the hands of Hiccup and Toothless, and although it had happened slowly, dragons had found their niche in Berk's society - although admittedly there were a few houses that had to be rebuilt along the way.

As his memories flowed back to him, he remembered the day that dragon racing was unofficially created. It was a peaceful day when Snotlout and the twins got bored and decided to start racing each other. As the races continued, the other teens gradually started to join in, with Hiccup being the last to start racing. After a few accusations of cheating which no one could prove since there were no rules at the time, they created rules for the races, and the sport of dragon racing was born.

Hiccup and the beast under him won the game... again. But the crowd cheered as they always did, a cacophony of applause and shouted compliments. It made the rider smile.

This is Berk, he thought. The only place on earth where people and dragons coexist. People here call me a hero, but I just did what I thought was best for my friend. No one could predict what happened next. This new world was created. It's beautiful. The dragons have helped to build Berk. We are further progressed in the world than any other tribe in the archipelago. Plus, the dragons are a great defense. Yep, dragons are truly a gift from the gods.

Astrid landed beside him in a blur of blue and yellow, finishing in second. A thud from her dragon touching the ground finally snapped Hiccup out of his thoughts and submerged him back into reality. She scowled at him. Hiccup shook his head and laughed good-naturedly; she never liked it when he – or anyone else – beat her.

“Hello, milady,” he chuckled, unable to keep his mouth straight. Despite herself, Astrid allowed a small smile creep onto her face. Relief swept through Hiccup; perhaps he wouldn't get lectured on how unfair it was to ride on a Night Fury in dragon races. To be fair, though, Night Furies weren't supposed to be in the game, but Astrid could be slightly... persuasive, at times. The only reason Hiccup and Toothless were even allowed to race were thanks to her.

“One of these days, Hiccup,” she said. She tried to sound threatening, but her smile betrayed her. Hiccup laughed and Astrid followed suit.

Snotlout came up from behind them, clenching the horns of his Monstrous Nightmare tightly. His facial expression was a mixture of disappointment and frustration, having only snatched a third.

"Hey Snotlout," Hiccup called, in an attempt to sound as friendly as possible. "Have you seen the others?"

Snotlout's countenance improved and he turned, pointing behind him. "Eh, they're catching up. Slowpokes," he muttered with a hint of pride. His dragon puffed out his chest and closed his eyes, emulating Snotlout's boastful pose.

Hiccup grinned, shaking his head at the Nightmare's imitation.

"What are you smiling for?" Snotlout complained, frowning. "Wipe that silly grin from your face, or else -"

"Dragon riders, coming through!" Tuffnut yelled, zipping towards them with glee.

"Get out of the way, Snotty!" Ruffnut cried. "You're blocking our entry!"

Snotlout snapped his head around in surprise. "Hookfang, let's go." Hookfang snorted and ignored him completely. "Hookfang, I'm going to get hurt!" he pleaded anxiously. The Nightmare clacked its razor-sharp teeth together, avoiding his rider's eyes.

Snotlout yanked on Hookfang’s horns, glancing backwards at the incoming Zippleback. Were they purposely heading for him?

Just as Snotlout thought the green dragon was about to clobber him and his dragon into a pulp on the rocks below, Hookfang ducked, diving out of the twins' way with barely a breadth to spare. The momentum threw them off the race course and towards the grass clumps shooting out of the soil behind them.They skidded on the grass, staining Hookfang's claws with green as the dragon fought the force of gravity. It was no use, and they toppled over.

Hiccup rushed over to the writhing mass underneath the Nightmare. "Uhh, Snotlout? You okay?"

Snotlout's head emerged, spitting out blades of grass and dirt. He wiped his mouth and face, streaks of chestnut still painted on his chin. "Do you think I look okay?"

There was a bluish-purple bruise blooming on his cheek. His hair was unruly and looked like a rat's nest. He certainly did not look okay.

"Okay, fine," Hiccup raised his lanky arms up in mock surrender, "I take that back." Snotlout was being temperamental, as usual. Hiccup didn't insult him even the tiniest bit; he was just a tad worried about his friend's well-being! It wasn't his fault if his act of kindness was acknowledged as a jeer.

Ruffnut, on the other hand, was complaining. "Aw, that's not fair!"

"Yeah!" Tuffnut agreed unanimously, crossing his arms. "We almost got him!"

Astrid rolled her eyes.

Hiccup reached forward a friendly hand towards Snotlout, who refused it, whacking it away and standing up by himself, dusting off his pants studiously. "I can do this by myself," he said, and strutted away, grumbling under his breath.

The gang watched his silhouette in the distance, confused.

"I wonder what's got into him," Astrid remarked, walking back to where her dragon was resting.

Tuffnut smiled, not noticing the severity of the situation. "He's just being a bad sport. Hey Hiccup, do you think you can give Snot's medal to me? I totally deserve it."

"Hey! That medal belongs to me!" Ruffnut argued. "You didn't even do anything; my dragon and I did all the work!"

"We're on the same dragon, you knucklehead."

Fishlegs arrived to the scene then, patting his dragon on the head proudly. "Meatlug, you were fantastic today!" He noticed the eerie silence just then, apart from the twin's bickering. "What happened?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Just Snotlout being cantankerous again, nothing special."

It's been a few years since the battle with the Red Death, and since then life on Berk had been thriving. The inhabitants of the island were no longer worried of a dragon raid, but were now waiting with anticipation for the dragon racing to begin.

Hiccup was racing with his friends, happy and feeling like nothing could possibly ruin his mood. He clicked the tail fin, and Toothless banked sharply, swerving around Fishlegs and Meatlug as he slowly took the lead. As Night Furies were the fastest dragons and Hiccup was the best rider, they always started behind the others - but that didn't stop them from winning almost every time, much to Astrid's disappointment, though seeing him happy, it was hard to be mad at him.

As he and Toothless streaked through the air, passing the others and gradually taking the lead, Hiccup thought back to what had happened over the past few years. It had been two or three years since the fall of the Red Death at the hands of Hiccup and Toothless, and although it had happened slowly, dragons had found their niche in Berk's society - although admittedly there were a few houses that had to be rebuilt along the way.

As his memories flowed back to him, he remembered the day that dragon racing was unofficially created. It was a peaceful day when Snotlout and the twins got bored and decided to start racing each other. As the races continued, the other teens gradually started to join in, with Hiccup being the last to start racing. After a few accusations of cheating which no one could prove since there were no rules at the time, they created rules for the races, and the sport of dragon racing was born.

Hiccup and the beast under him won the game... again. But the crowd cheered as they always did, a cacophony of applause and shouted compliments. It made the rider smile.

This is Berk, he thought. The only place on earth where people and dragons coexist. People here call me a hero, but I just did what I thought was best for my friend. No one could predict what happened next. This new world was created. It's beautiful. The dragons have helped to build Berk. We are further progressed in the world than any other tribe in the archipelago. Plus, the dragons are a great defense. Yep, dragons are truly a gift from the gods.

Astrid landed beside him in a blur of blue and yellow, finishing in second. A thud from her dragon touching the ground finally snapped Hiccup out of his thoughts and submerged him back into reality. She scowled at him. Hiccup shook his head and laughed good-naturedly; she never liked it when he – or anyone else – beat her.

“Hello, milady,” he chuckled, unable to keep his mouth straight. Despite herself, Astrid allowed a small smile creep onto her face. Relief swept through Hiccup; perhaps he wouldn't get lectured on how unfair it was to ride on a Night Fury in dragon races. To be fair, though, Night Furies weren't supposed to be in the game, but Astrid could be slightly... persuasive, at times. The only reason Hiccup and Toothless were even allowed to race were thanks to her.

“One of these days, Hiccup,” she said. She tried to sound threatening, but her smile betrayed her. Hiccup laughed and Astrid followed suit.

Snotlout came up from behind them, clenching the horns of his Monstrous Nightmare tightly. His facial expression was a mixture of disappointment and frustration, having only snatched a third.

"Hey Snotlout," Hiccup called, in an attempt to sound as friendly as possible. "Have you seen the others?"

Snotlout's countenance improved and he turned, pointing behind him. "Eh, they're catching up. Slowpokes," he muttered with a hint of pride. His dragon puffed out his chest and closed his eyes, emulating Snotlout's boastful pose.

Hiccup grinned, shaking his head at the Nightmare's imitation.

"What are you smiling for?" Snotlout complained, frowning. "Wipe that silly grin from your face, or else -"

"Dragon riders, coming through!" Tuffnut yelled, zipping towards them with glee.

"Get out of the way, Snotty!" Ruffnut cried. "You're blocking our entry!"

Snotlout snapped his head around in surprise. "Hookfang, let's go." Hookfang snorted and ignored him completely. "Hookfang, I'm going to get hurt!" he pleaded anxiously. The Nightmare clacked its razor-sharp teeth together, avoiding his rider's eyes.

Snotlout yanked on Hookfang’s horns, glancing backwards at the incoming Zippleback. Were they purposely heading for him?

Just as Snotlout thought the green dragon was about to clobber him and his dragon into a pulp on the rocks below, Hookfang ducked, diving out of the twins' way with barely a breadth to spare. The momentum threw them off the race course and towards the grass clumps shooting out of the soil behind them.They skidded on the grass, staining Hookfang's claws with green as the dragon fought the force of gravity. It was no use, and they toppled over.

Hiccup rushed over to the writhing mass underneath the Nightmare. "Uhh, Snotlout? You okay?"

Snotlout's head emerged, spitting out blades of grass and dirt. He wiped his mouth and face, streaks of chestnut still painted on his chin. "Do you think I look okay?"

There was a bluish-purple bruise blooming on his cheek. His hair was unruly and looked like a rat's nest. He certainly did not look okay.

"Okay, fine," Hiccup raised his lanky arms up in mock surrender, "I take that back." Snotlout was being temperamental, as usual. Hiccup didn't insult him even the tiniest bit; he was just a tad worried about his friend's well-being! It wasn't his fault if his act of kindness was acknowledged as a jeer.

Ruffnut, on the other hand, was complaining. "Aw, that's not fair!"

"Yeah!" Tuffnut agreed unanimously, crossing his arms. "We almost got him!"

Astrid rolled her eyes.

Hiccup reached forward a friendly hand towards Snotlout, who refused it, whacking it away and standing up by himself, dusting off his pants studiously. "I can do this by myself," he said, and strutted away, grumbling under his breath. Hookfang went along with him reluctantly.

The rest of the gang watched his silhouette in the distance, confused.

"I wonder what's got into him," Astrid remarked, walking back to where her dragon was resting.

Tuffnut smiled, not noticing the severity of the situation. "He's just being a bad sport. Hey Hiccup, do you think you can give Snot's medal to me? I totally deserve it."

"Hey! That medal belongs to me!" Ruffnut argued. "You didn't even do anything; my dragon and I did all the work!"

"We're on the same dragon, you knucklehead."

Fishlegs arrived to the scene then, patting his dragon on the head proudly. "Meatlug, you were fantastic today!" He noticed the eerie silence just then, apart from the twin's bickering. "What happened?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Just Snotlout being cantankerous again, nothing special."

"Oh. Well," Fishlegs said, while examining his dragon for bruises or cuts, before gathering her up into a warm hug, "I'll be off. See you guys tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"The usual. Studying the Dragon Book. Playing with Meatlug. Anyways," he cut himself off, "I'd better get going."

Hiccup watched silently as the rest of the group slowly left, leaving him alone, staring at the empty sky. He'd never told anyone else this before, but there was some part of him, some unexplainable urge, that wanted to leave Berk, to explore the countless islands in the whole archipelago. He wanted to discover new dragons, new people, new cultures.

But deep inside Hiccup knew he couldn't. Or rather, his father wouldn't let him. Stoick was the chief of Berk, and seemed to always need a helping hand, just to keep his son in his sight. However Hiccup knew the truth. His father had gone through a lot, from losing his wife to almost losing his only son. It would be unbearable for his father if he'd gone missing completely.

He sighed with the shallow wind blowing across his face. His father was most likely expecting him at dinner by now. Hiccup gestured to Toothless, a slight nod of the head, and they both headed back towards the heart of Berk, towards his home, and away from his dreams of exploration.

It's been a few years since the battle with the Red Death, and since then life on Berk had been thriving. The inhabitants of the island were no longer worried of a dragon raid, but were now waiting with anticipation for the dragon racing to begin.

Hiccup was racing with his friends, happy and feeling like nothing could possibly ruin his mood. He clicked the tail fin, and Toothless banked sharply, swerving around Fishlegs and Meatlug as he slowly took the lead. As Night Furies were the fastest dragons and Hiccup was the best rider, they always started behind the others - but that didn't stop them from winning almost every time, much to Astrid's disappointment, though seeing him happy, it was hard to be mad at him.

As he and Toothless streaked through the air, passing the others and gradually taking the lead, Hiccup thought back to what had happened over the past few years. It had been two or three years since the fall of the Red Death at the hands of Hiccup and Toothless, and although it had happened slowly, dragons had found their niche in Berk's society - although admittedly there were a few houses that had to be rebuilt along the way.

As his memories flowed back to him, he remembered the day that dragon racing was unofficially created. It was a peaceful day when Snotlout and the twins got bored and decided to start racing each other. As the races continued, the other teens gradually started to join in, with Hiccup being the last to start racing. After a few accusations of cheating which no one could prove since there were no rules at the time, they created rules for the races, and the sport of dragon racing was born.

Hiccup and the beast under him won the game... again. But the crowd cheered as they always did, a cacophony of applause and shouted compliments. It made the rider smile.

This is Berk, he thought. The only place on earth where people and dragons coexist. People here call me a hero, but I just did what I thought was best for my friend. No one could predict what happened next. This new world was created. It's beautiful. The dragons have helped to build Berk. We are further progressed in the world than any other tribe in the archipelago. Plus, the dragons are a great defense. Yep, dragons are truly a gift from the gods.

Astrid landed beside him in a blur of blue and yellow, finishing in second. A thud from her dragon touching the ground finally snapped Hiccup out of his thoughts and submerged him back into reality. She scowled at him. Hiccup shook his head and laughed good-naturedly; she never liked it when he – or anyone else – beat her.

“Hello, milady,” he chuckled, unable to keep his mouth straight. Despite herself, Astrid allowed a small smile creep onto her face. Relief swept through Hiccup; perhaps he wouldn't get lectured on how unfair it was to ride on a Night Fury in dragon races. To be fair, though, Night Furies weren't supposed to be in the game, but Astrid could be slightly... persuasive, at times. The only reason Hiccup and Toothless were even allowed to race were thanks to her.

“One of these days, Hiccup,” she said. She tried to sound threatening, but her smile betrayed her. Hiccup laughed and Astrid followed suit.

Snotlout came up from behind them, clenching the horns of his Monstrous Nightmare tightly. His facial expression was a mixture of disappointment and frustration, having only snatched a third.

"Hey Snotlout," Hiccup called, in an attempt to sound as friendly as possible. "Have you seen the others?"

Snotlout's countenance improved and he turned, pointing behind him. "Eh, they're catching up. Slowpokes," he muttered with a hint of pride. His dragon puffed out his chest and closed his eyes, emulating Snotlout's boastful pose.

Hiccup grinned, shaking his head at the Nightmare's imitation.

"What are you smiling for?" Snotlout complained, frowning. "Wipe that silly grin from your face, or else -"

"Dragon riders, coming through!" Tuffnut yelled, zipping towards them with glee.

"Get out of the way, Snotty!" Ruffnut cried. "You're blocking our entry!"

Snotlout snapped his head around in surprise. "Hookfang, let's go." Hookfang snorted and ignored him completely. "Hookfang, I'm going to get hurt!" he pleaded anxiously. The Nightmare clacked its razor-sharp teeth together, avoiding his rider's eyes.

Snotlout yanked on Hookfang’s horns, glancing backwards at the incoming Zippleback. Were they purposely heading for him?

Just as Snotlout thought the green dragon was about to clobber him and his dragon into a pulp on the rocks below, Hookfang ducked, diving out of the twins' way with barely an inch to spare. The momentum threw them off the race course and towards the grass clumps shooting out of the soil behind them.They skidded on the grass, staining Hookfang's claws with green as the dragon fought the force of gravity. It was no use, and they toppled over.

Hiccup rushed over to the writhing mass underneath the Nightmare. "Uhh, Snotlout? You okay?"

Snotlout's head emerged, spitting out blades of grass and dirt. He wiped his mouth and face, streaks of chestnut still painted on his chin. "Do you think I look okay?"

There was a bluish-purple bruise blooming on his cheek. His hair was unruly and looked like a rat's nest. He certainly did not look okay.

"Okay, fine," Hiccup raised his lanky arms up in mock surrender, "I take that back." Snotlout was being temperamental, as usual. Hiccup didn't insult him even the tiniest bit; he was just a tad worried about his friend's well-being! It wasn't his fault if his act of kindness was acknowledged as a jeer.

Ruffnut, on the other hand, was complaining. "Aw, that's not fair!"

"Yeah!" Tuffnut agreed unanimously, crossing his arms. "We almost got him!"

Astrid rolled her eyes, sighing exasperatedly.

Hiccup reached forward a friendly hand towards Snotlout, who refused it, whacking it away and standing up by himself, dusting off his pants studiously. "I can do this by myself," he said, as he stomped away, grumbling under his breath. Hookfang went along with him reluctantly.

The rest of the gang watched his silhouette in the distance, confused.

"I wonder what's got into him," Astrid remarked, walking back to where her dragon was resting.

Tuffnut smiled, not noticing the severity of the situation. "He's just being a bad sport. Hey Hiccup, do you think you can give Snot's medal to me? I totally deserve it."

"Hey! That medal belongs to me!" Ruffnut argued. "You didn't even do anything; my dragon and I did all the work!"

"We're on the same dragon, you knucklehead."

Fishlegs arrived to the scene then, patting his dragon on the head proudly. "Meatlug, you were fantastic today!" He noticed the eerie silence just then, apart from the twin's bickering. "What happened?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Just Snotlout being cantankerous again, nothing special."

"Oh. Well," Fishlegs said, while examining his dragon for bruises or cuts, before gathering her up into a warm hug, "I'll be off. See you guys tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"The usual. Studying the Dragon Book. Playing with Meatlug. Anyways," he cut himself off, "I'd better get going."

Hiccup watched silently as the rest of the group slowly left, leaving him alone, staring at the empty sky. He'd never told anyone else this before, but there was some part of him, some unexplainable urge, that wanted to leave Berk, to explore the countless islands in the whole archipelago. He wanted to discover new dragons, new people, new cultures.

But deep inside Hiccup knew he couldn't. Or rather, his father wouldn't let him. Stoick was the chief of Berk, and seemed to always need a helping hand, just to keep his son in his sight. However Hiccup knew the truth. His father had gone through a lot, from losing his wife to almost losing his only son. It would be unbearable for his father if he'd gone missing completely.

He sighed with the shallow wind blowing across his face. His father was most likely expecting him at dinner by now. Hiccup gestured to Toothless, a slight nod of the head, and they both headed back towards the heart of Berk, towards his home, and away from his dreams of exploration.