Shadow's P.O.V

It was only a few minutes before the second dragon hatched. His sister gave a loud squeak and pushed him down as soon as he rose to take his first steps. I stayed still watching them. Sometimes with young dragons they reject their clutchmate even if that dragon is their blood. I really hoped she wouldn't reject her brother, there were too little night fury's left for this to go badly. Thankfully after a bit of shoving she let him up and gave him a big lick.

I let loose a sigh of relief and nosed the little dragon getting used to his scent. His sister was now occupying herself by crawling around the eggshell and pouncing on bits sending them shattering. Her brother raised a wing to shield himself and I made a noise of approval, already he was learning to defend himself. Giving a yawn I guided the dragons to me and they snuggled up under my wings. I was just closing my eyes when an alarming sound was brought to my ears.

"Heave!" I froze a snarl ready in my throat as my head snapped back and forth looking for the source of the noise.

"Ho, heave, ho." This was followed by noises of grunting.

All it took was a little peep from one of my hatchlings to send the men into silence. I still didn't know where they were but the sound didn't sound far away.

"Hush." I said. The first word I ever spoke to my children was a word of warning against men, honestly not very surprising.

They cowered under my wings as I rose slowly ready to jump into the air at the slightest notice. I wasn't sure how I would carry the hatchlings, if they were older maybe they would be able to hold onto my back by themselves, but they weren't.

"I think I heard something.." A coarse voice said. I low growl emerged from me as I saw several shadows moving up the rocks towards me.

"Well looky what we got here boys." One of the men jeered taking a lit torch from someone behind him to shine at us.

"Uh Eret sir, that's... that's a Night Fury." One of the men whimpered refusing to come closer as I rose defensively.

"I can see that fool," Eret snapped, moving ever closer to me. His face looked distorted in the light, but I could make out three lines tattooed on his chin. I snarled furiously as he waved out with the torch trying to get me to back away.

"Stupid human." I growled, even though he couldn't understand what I was saying I think he got the idea.

"Well gentlemen we got a fighter." He chortled to the group. The female hatchling chose the worst time to speak up. She jumped forward and snapped, her flimsy wings flailing about.

"Well I'll be damned." Eret said in astonishment. "Get the dragons boys, it'll be gold all round for these two."

Two? I thought and then remembered that the second hatchling was still hiding, far more sensible than his sister.

Three men walked closer grappling hooks swinging from their meaty fists. I snarled at the closest one getting ready to shoot a plasma blast. He came ever closer the shiny metal of the grappling hooks glinting dangerously. I gathered the female hatchling close to me and felt around for the other one. While I was distracted a man had gone behind me and snatched the hatchling without me noticing. At the sound of the little squeak I turned around in outrage, still keeping his sister shielded. I couldn't fight while protecting one and trying to get the other back. I desperately tried to come up with a plan.

The humans were edging around me with their hooks and cross bows, I was wondering who would make the first move when something flickered in the corner of my eye. I could only just see him at this angle but the flash of green was hard to miss as a Terrible Terror darted behind a rock for cover.

Seeing I was distracted the men started to move ever closer, a grappling hook hit my flank. I snarled in outrage and turned on the offender. He stepped back.

"You dare challenge a Night Fury." I hissed. I leapt forward knocking the human to the ground sending his shield flying away. I lashed my tail out knocking anothers helmet and sending him sprawling on the ground.

"Now now sweetie, you better stop other wise this little guy will be going bye bye." Eret had a knife pressed against the throat of one of my hatchlings. A roar of shock and anger sounded behind me followed by a not so ferocious squeak. Plasma blasts shot over head as Toothless leapt into the circle.

"Go!' He roared to me and began attacking the men.

"Eret, it's another one!" one of the men shouted in fear. I was still staring at Toothless, he shouldn't have been able to find me. That blasted Terrible Terror. Despite my relief at seeing him I felt slightly exasperated at his valiant behavior, it only complicated things more. A loud squeak brought me back to my senses and I saw that one of the men had grabbed the female hatchling and was trying to make off with her. I snarled and grabbed one of the man's legs in my mouth tearing it out from under him. I gathered the hatchling to me and looked around for her brother.

Eret was off to the side watching the fight play out, from the look on his face it wasn't going well. My hatchling was wriggling and squeaking trying his best to get free of Eret's grip. With him distracted I stalked around behind him feeling my legs tense ready to jump if something got in my way. All the time the female hatchling stayed under my wing, moving when I did.

"Did your mother ever tell you?" I growled catching his attention. "Never steal a dragon's hatchling."

I brought forth a plasma blast and sent it to the rocks above him. They flew apart with a bang.

With Eret distracted, my hatchling had a chance to escape. As though watching in slow motion I saw Eret crushed to the ground by a large stone slab that had broken off. I saw the hatchling jump at the last minute and give a tiny roar as it dropped towards the ground.

"Gotcha." Toothless said as the hatchling bumped softly off his wing.

"Behind you!" I roared and with nearly no effort Toothless whipped his tail out catching the trapper unawares.

All around us men were groaning and struggling to get up, he had taken them all down.

"Why did you run?" He asked hurt in his eyes.

"Because nothing can happen, I don't know if I can live among people." I said taking a step closer.

"Trust me Shadow, something has already happened and I'm not willing to let that go." He said glancing at the night furys and looking back up at me.

I swatted him with my tail. "Not around the children!"

He warbled happily and picked the boy up by the scruff of his scaly neck. "Let's get out of here, thanks for the help Sharpshot."

"Always a pleasure, Toothless. Say hello to Hiccup for me." Sharpshot took off hastily as some of the trappers began to try and get up.

"Let's go." I said picking up the female hatchling in my mouth. I was exhausted and bruised. But I was happy. More happy than I had been in a very long time. Ever since I had lost my parents to trappers just as soulless and cold hearted as Eret I had been alone.

I glanced sideways at Toothless through the darkness and found him watching me intently. I cracked a toothless smile at him. He grinned back, his wingtip brushing against me. I shivered at the electric feel it gave me.

I wasn't entirely sure what would happen in the future. And it scared me, all the possibilities each leading down a different path. I had a feeling that Toothless would want to stay on Berk. If that was true then I would stay with him. But we were going to raise these dragons my way. I quickened my wingbeats eager to reach land and rest. I breathed in the night air with relish and felt it swell under my wings. Suddenly I was gliding, not having to move my wings at all with the wind carrying me. Toothless growled in confusion and beat his wings trying to catch up.

"You need to teach my that trick." He said puffing slightly.

I smiled, "All in good time young hatchling."

I was thrown off course as he sidled up to me and nosed my cheek. My eyes widened and that moment of surprise cost me my control. Toothless flew ahead and looked back at me.

"Looks like your not the only one with tricks."

I grinned feeling a challenge coming on.

"Race?"

"Race." He agreed. I heard the hatchling on my back warble happily as I flew after her father, my mate. Toothless.

The End

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I am so sorry it took me so long to finish this! Yes this is the final chapter and I hope you have enjoyed this short story.

Thank you for all the comments encouraging me to update, even the occasional demanding and angry ones helped :D

I have an idea that I would like to present to the readers of this first before talking to others.

I have found that recently I have been missing my characters a lot. I miss writing Skylar's witty and sarcastic comments. I miss Willow's kind heart and fiery personality. So while I do not know if I will do a sequel series for the time being. I thought that instead, just for now I might do a series of short stories central around the characters from the LTDR trilogy. I would answer questions, accept requests and fill in some loopholes that you might not have noticed.

So let me know your opinion of this in the comments :)

Thank you for being dedicated enough to read this, even if I struggled to show the commitment to finish it.

xxx

ToothlessLover777