A few things to remember:

I don't own Hiccup, Toothless, or any other character from the HTTYD universe. I wish I did, but they are owned by Universal Studios and Cressida Cowell. I do, however, own all new characters and locations in this story, except for one.

Writing Style:

This is Norse

This is English

This is Dragonese

The two young men didn't say anything as they walked back through the forest surrounding the base.

"Go sign yourself up for the competition Hiccup," Ragnar said as they reached the edge of the base, breaking the silence.

"It's ok, I don't want to do it anymore. How about we just go hang out with Toothless and Wraith instead?" Hiccup replied, not really wanting to compete in the competition after what he had just heard. Once Hiccup finished talking, Ragnar grabbed his shoulder and spun him to a stop so they were facing each other.

"No, you wanted to enter it so you will enter it with my support," Ragnar told him in a stern voice.

"Seriously? I'm mean, do you really mean that?" Hiccup asked.

"I'm as serious as Ragnarok," Ragnar replied to his best friend that he secretly thought of as his brother.

"Ok, I will go sign up." Hiccup said to his best friend who he wished he looked up to like an older brother before walking away to go sign up for the marksman competition. He was just able to sign up before the signup sheet was filled up. As he was reading through the rules, he was grateful that it was going to be held on the base in two days and that the shooter could use his own rifle and a spotter of his own picking. Hiccup knew that he would use Hefnd Nótt and that Ragnar would be his spotter. The next two days Hiccup spent with Ragnar in their private range at The Dragons Edge preparing for it. When the day of the competition came, the boys got to the range and were assigned their stall before moving down to it. As they walked by the stalls they saw some people the knew from on base and others they didn't, but one thing they all had in common was that they had been shooting for much longer then Hiccup as the youngest age was twenty-five.

"Look at this kid." Somebody said loudly as they walked past one of the first stalls. They had been assigned the last shooting stall, stall twenty-eight, so the pair had to walk past everybody else and the one comment cause everybody to look. They all stared at the Hiccup as he walked past, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Hey, remember what I said, don't let 'em see that they are getting to you," Ragnar whispered to Hiccup as he noticed how the teen was looking at the ground. Hiccup looked up to see Ragnar staring each and every man down, causing some to go back to their station. While he didn't stare them down, Hiccup did bring his head up and stared straight ahead. Once they reach the end of the line they got to work setting up.

Ragnar got his spotters scope out of its bag and set it up on a tripod while Hiccup pulled Hefnd Nótt out of its bag and set it up on the ground along with a shooting blanket to lay on.

"Ok, can I have everybody's attention please?" A voice said from behind them. Everybody turned around to see Colonel Ben standing next to an unknown person.

"This is Major Heath and he will be the judge of this little competition." The Colonel said before backing away as the now named Major stepped forward.

"Thank you, Colonel. Now the shooting portion of this competition will be scored based and only the top three will move on to the next stage of the competition. The targets are at a range of one thousand four hundred meters." The Major said. "Each of you will only receive four rounds per target. Now get back to your stalls and let's get this shoot started." Once he had finished, everybody did as instructed and turned back to their stalls and prepared to start shooting.

"Ok Hiccup, I know you got this, just as we have been practicing," Ragnar said to the young teen laying beside him.

"Got it." Came the reply as he finished loading his rifle.

"Attention on the firing line, attention on the firing line; you may fire when ready." Major Heath's voice said as it came over the PA system. As soon as he finished talking, everybody opened fire. The sound of twenty-eight different rifles all firing at once produced such a loud sound that the ear protection almost didn't block it all out.

CRACK

"Low and to the left. Adjust one tick up and half tick right." Ragnar told Hiccup after his first shot.

CRACK

"Just below the bullseye. Adjust quarter tick up"

CRACK

"Bullseye."

CRACK

"I don't see a new hole. Miss." Ragnar said to Hiccup after his final shot.

"Make safe the range. Clear all rifles." The Heath once again said over the PA system. Once that was done, everybody walked out to their targets.

"I'm telling you, I know that the last bullet hit the target," Hiccup told Ragnar.

"I didn't see any new holes in the target," Ragnar replied as they reached the target and looked it over. "Look, there are only three holes."

"How? I didn't move my rifle between shots though. What if..." Hiccup trailed off as he started to inspect the target closer.

"Hiccup, what are you doing?" Ragnar asked him.

"My fourth shot went through the same hole as my third shot. Look, Ragnar, it's slightly misshapen to one side." Hiccup pointed out as he backed away so Ragnar could look. Ragnar looked at the hole in the bullseye for a second before backing away.

"By Thor, I have never seen that before."

"Shooter 27, Hiccup Haddock, what's your count?" Major Heath asked as he walked up to them.

"Thirty-seven sir," Hiccup responded to the Major.

"Ok, you didn't place so you can return to your barracks."

"Where did I place sir?" Hiccup asked.

"You came in sixth place, so good job making it that high up in the ranking. Keep practicing and maybe next time Hiccup."

Six Months Later; One And A Half Years After Leaving Berk.

CRACK

"Direct hit, now try for the target to the back left of the last one," Ragnar said as he watched the targets through a spotting scope.

CRACK

"Good effect on target. I guess we should move the targets further back before the next session eh?" Ragnar said to the shooter laying next to him after the final 'target', a small milk container from the mess hall, exploded in a flurry of white liquid.

"Ya, probably should. How about a further 100 meters?" Came the reply as the sniper started to put away his rifle.

"It's already at 1,700 meters[1] Hiccup, you think you could hit the targets?" Ragnar asked him.

"I know I can. I'm hitting those tiny things and it shouldn't be that much harder to hit something another 100 meters further back." Hiccup replied to him as he finished putting Hefnd Nótt away. Though it looked considerably different from when he got it. First of all, it was painted a non-reflective matte black to fit with Hiccup and Toothless's dead of night theme. Second, the stock scope had been replaced with a custom 4-20X50[2] scope. Finally, Hiccup had turned the butt of the rifle into a big magazine tube that feeds the rifle and could hold twenty .338 Lapua Magnum rounds.

"You would be surprised," Ragnar said as they walked out of the range.

"Oh come on, you know I'm already one of the best shots on the base." Hiccup replied.

"Ya ya, I know, you can stop reminding me." Ragnar huffed as he rubbed his temple, trying to forget the day Hiccup had beat him, and everybody else attending, in a base-wide shooting competition. After that, they continued to walk in silence before they reached The Dragon's Edge.

"I'm going to put Nótt away before going to see Toothless, want to go?" Hiccup asked as they walked through the front doors.

"Yes, I do. You have your Dragonstone on you right?" Ragnar asked as he followed Hiccup into the rooms, surprising the teen.

"How do you.."

"I uh, I might have one as well." Ragnar quietly said as he brought the stone out from where it was hanging on a chain around his neck. Unlike Hiccup, who only had a small bluish-white shard, Ragnar had a full stone which was blue with streaks of red running through it.

"Why did you keep this from me if you knew I had one?" Hiccup asked him.

Ragnar glanced away quickly.

Hiccup raised his brow at him.

Shrugging, Ragnar said, "It just didn't seem like the kind of thing that would need to be mentioned, I guess."

Hiccup stared at him, frowning. He feigned apathy. "Oh, well, I guess you're right. I mean, only a few people ever recorded have ever even found one, it is one of the rarest stones known to man. No biggie that you just so happen to possess one of them ." He kicked the cardigan that was laying on the ground under the bed.

"Hiccup-"

"I mean, it's not like I'm your best friend or anything..." Hiccup looked Ragnar in the eyes. "I guess I just thought that since I've shared everything with you, that..." He crossed his arms. "Oh, never mind. Let's go. Toothless and Wraith are waiting."

"Hiccup, would you just-" Ragnar started, but Hiccup was already out the door. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Ragnar followed Hiccup to the dragon cove.

Once he arrived, Ragnar found Hiccup leaning indolently against a shrub in the corner. The two dragons appeared to be napping under a tree. Arms crossed, Ragnar entered. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. Why did he always have to be the one apologizing? It wasn't as if he had really done anything wrong, was it?

Yes, he had kept his possession of the dragonstone a secret, but not just from Hiccup, from everyone. Ragnar supposed that he understood a bit of why Hiccup was angry, but he didn't feel he had much of a right to be. After all, Ragnar had shared everything else. Why did Hiccup have to play these childish games? How would he ever advance if he was still affected by menial things that truly shouldn't matter?

Perhaps he should say something about that. A soldier has to be strong, both physically and mentally. Hiccup would have to break that cycle. He would have to-

"Raaagnaaar," The voice of Wraith startled him out of his thoughts. He glanced up as Wraith fluttered and stretched his wings.

"What is it Wraith?"

"You promised us a flight tonight, remember?"

Ragnar looked at Hiccup, who refused to acknowledge his presence. Toothless interjected.

"Did you two have a fight?"

Silence.

"Ahem, do I have to ask again?" Toothless asked, sitting up. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Maybe."

Toothless spoke up. "Well, I'm feeling quite cramped in here, and I wish you two would make up so we could go soon." Hiccup and Ragnar didn't respond to him, they just kept sitting with their backs to each other.

"Ok, that's it. I have had enough of waiting for you two to stop acting like hatchlings. Now you two either get over it on your own or Toothless and I will make you cause we want to go flying." Wraith said after a few minutes of them just sitting and looking away from each other. That statement got the two teens to at least look at each other, but no move was made to get up and reconcile what had happened.

"Why do we have to get over it to go flying?" Hiccup muttered.

"Because we don't want to be out flying while you two are angry at each other," Toothless said with Wraith's agreement.

"Ok, that's it. Toothless, grab Hiccup and bring him over here." Wraith said after still no movement. Toothless did as he was instructed and brought a protesting Hiccup over to where Wraith was preventing Ragnar from escaping. "Ok listen; in the year and a half you two have known each other you have grown extremely close, like brothers. Now I don't know what went on before you came in here, but there is no reason your two should be all bent out of shape like you are. We don't get to choose if something good or bad happens to use, it just happens, but we do get to choose how we respond to it and it's how you respond that makes you a good or bad person."

With that statement, both the boys realized that what he had said was true. Hiccup didn't ask to be born a useless talking fishbone just as much as Ragnar didn't ask for his whole tribe to be killed. They were uncontrollable events that just happened.

"Soooo I'm sorry I went off on you like that..." Hiccup start. Soon being interrupted.

"Stop, it wasn't your fault; I should have told you sooner," Ragnar told him.

"Are we going to go flying now that your two have made up?" Toothless asked, anxious to get in the air.

"Yes, we can go flying now you overgrown lizard." Hiccup said as he stood up, only to have Toothless head appear between his legs and toss him into the saddle just as Wraith did the same thing. Once they rushed out off the Dragon's Edge, they flew as erratically as they wanted, letting the stress of the day melt away.

"Hiccup, Toothless, there is something I wanted to tell you guys," Ragnar said once they settled out.

"What?" They both answered in unison.

"Well, your basic training is complete Hiccup so congrats. What that means is for the next six months you AND Toothless will be going through the advanced training." Ragnar told them.

"Meaning what?" Hiccup asked.

"Meaning you two will be trained together to act as a well-oiled machine no matter the conditions you may find yourselves in; as well as some other things as well." He explained as they kept on flying.

"When do we start?" Hiccup asked him, excited about the prospect.

"Tomorrow. So we should probably head back and get a good night's sleep." Ragnar said before directing Wraith back towards the base.

[1] 1700 meters is roughly 1.056 miles.

[2] 4-20X50 means it is a variable zoom, from times 4 through times 20 zoom and the lens itself has a 50 mm diameter.

Why hello ello ello, what do we have here? Is this a new chapter I see? Why yes, yes it is. So what do you guys think? I originally wasn't going to add in the competition, but OechsnerC asked about it and changed my mind so I added it. Plus it now flows smoother than before. So anybody wondering, the last part of Wraith speech is my interpretation of a quote from another HTTYD Fanfiction story. I don't remember the name of the story or the author, so I can't tell you. Though if you have read it, or are the author of said story, I did not mean to steal it. It fit so well and I didn't cut and paste the text, I wrote it out of memory.

Semper Fi,

Thearizona