Six months. It had been six months since Hiccup the Useless, now labeled Hiccup the Traitor, had left Berk. Nothing much had changed really, Snotlout became the new hair and was still trying, and failing, to get Astrid to go on a date with him. The Twins had devoted themselves to Loki and as such were causing all sorts of mischief, and Fishlegs was as engrossed in the Dragon Manual as ever.

"Where do you think Hiccup has gone?" Fishlegs asked the group as they still hang out often.

"I don't care where that little traitor went, as long as he doesn't come back." Snotlout said before putting his arm around Astrid's shoulder. "Isn't that right babe?"

"As I have told you, KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF ME AND I'M NOT YOUR BABE!" Astrid shouted as she took his hand and used it to throw him onto the ground.

"Gosh fine, but you know you'll be back for me." Snotlout replied as he got up and flexed, showing off his muscles before sitting back down at the table, albeit a bit further away from Astrid.

"I'm serious though, where could he have gone that he hasn't been spotted yet?" Fishlegs asked once again.

"Why does it matter Fishlegs?" Astrid asked him. "That traitor is gone and I'm taking my rightful place and killed the Nightmare."

"I just think it interesting that nobody has seen either of them since they left," Fishlegs stated.

"Well keep that thinking to yourself," Ruffnut told him.

"Ya, that's dangerous thinking," Tuff added to his sister's statement.

"Well somebody's got to be stupidly smart around here now that the little traitor is gone." Snotlout said as he had switched to picking on Fishlegs once Hiccup had left.

"But..." Fishlegs started"Shut up stink breath, nobody wants to listen to you babble. Why don't you go talk to Bucket about it. I'm sure he would love to talk about it." Snotlout said while interrupting him. Fishlegs sat there for a moment or two, on the verge of tears, before he finally got up and left the great hall.

"That's right, run away you big oaf!" Snotlout yelled at him. Fishlegs almost didn't hear it as he was walking out the door, but Snotlout was just loud enough that he did. He hurried out the door, away from the great hall and into the forest. Ever since Hiccup had left, Fishlegs had started to go into the forest to see if be could gain an insight into what made Hiccup befriend a dragon. Over the last six months, he had started to understand and appreciate why Hiccup would go into the forest.

This particular time, Fishlegs just wandered through the forest and tried to build himself back up. He had been Hiccups friend once before he joined the gang so they wouldn't pick on him. Though now that Hiccup was gone, all the camaraderie that he thought had been built up, was thrown away and they started picking on him. He wasn't looking where he was going and soon fell down a hill and into a small cove. He went slide several feet and when he went to get up, hit his head on something solid. After closer inspection, he saw it was a shield! Whoever had gotten the shield stuck between the two rocks must have been small as there was no going over or around it, and below it was a small opening somebody of Hiccups size.

"Hiccup?" Fishlegs said aloud to nobody. He broke through the rotting wood without a problem and started to inspect the area. On the ground were scorch marks and black scales that could only belong to one creature. Hiccups Night Fury, who it appeared he had named Toothless if the shouting when he left had any inclination. Though he could have sworn he saw teeth on the thing.

"By the gods, this must be where he trained the beast." He muttered once the realization bit him. Right then he decided to not tell anybody about it, as they would surely destroy the area and it was a beautiful cove. Plus if Hiccup ever came back, this would be where he would go and Fishlegs wanted to be the first to see him.

"Come on Hiccup, one more push-up!" Ragnar shouted at Hiccup as he was struggling to go up on one final push-up.

"Twenty...five," Hiccup struggled to say as he finished the push-up.

"Good job, that's a new record Hiccup," Ragnar said as Hiccup got some water from his water bottle.

"Thanks, Ragnar." Hiccup replied once he finished getting some water. "So what's that covered up in the corner? It appeared about two months ago and it has always been covered."

"Well, why don't you go and find out? It's about time I started you on that." Ragnar replied as he gestured to the cover machine. When Hiccup removed the tarp he saw a seat on a rail that was hooked up to a wheel with paddles facing the opposite the wheel would turn.

"What is this?" Hiccup asked Ragnar as he kept looking at it and trying to discover what it was for.

"This is a rowing ergometer or erg," Ragnar explained.

"What's it for?" Hiccup asked.

"It's used to simulate rowing," Ragnar replied before sitting down on the thing. "Just watch me for a bit then I'm going to have you do it."

"I never was any good at rowing." Hiccup said softly, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Hey, remember what we talked about?" Ragnar asked as he was instantly up off the erg and next to Hiccup.

"Ya, forget about everything that happened on Berk and focus on what's happening now." Came the reply, though it was a half-hearted reply. Ragnar still picked up on it though.

"Hiccup, what's wrong?" He asked the boy.

"Nothing, let's just get back to the workout." Hiccup replied, trying to deflect the question. Ragnar put his hand on Hiccup's shoulder, stopping him from walking off.

"You are a terrible liar sometimes, you know that right?" Ragnar told him, effectively telling him he knew he wasn't ok.

"Ya, I know." Hiccup said as he turned back around to face Ragnar.

"Then tell me what's wrong," Ragnar said in a sterner voice.

"Today marks six months exactly since Toothless and I ran away from Berk." Hiccup replied with a sad tone.

"Well, then why are you moping around and being sad? We should be celebrating!" Ragnar said before trying to drag Hiccup out of the gym. Hiccup planted his feet and wouldn't let him though.

"Why? Why is it worth celebrating? All I did was run away, and who knows what would have happened if I had stayed?" Hiccup answered as Ragnar stopped trying to drag him out of the gym.

"It's worth it cause they would have killed you and Toothless, plus you found your way here. It feels likes it's only been a few weeks, but it's been the best weeks that I can remember in a long while." Ragnar told him, trying to cheer him up.

"Ya, your right. It has actually been the best six months of my whole life, that I can remember. Though I'm not sure it's celebratory." Came the reply from the boy, sounding a bit more like his normal self.

"There's the Hiccup I know, now I don't care if you don't think we should celebrate it or not, we are going to. Though let's do it tonight." Ragnar said before going back to the erg. That night after dinner, instead of going back to the Dragon's Edge, Ragnar had Hiccup follow him to another close by building on the base.

"What's in here? I thought you said we were going to do something special tonight." Hiccup asked Ragnar as they walked inside. Ragnar didn't say anything as he shut the door, flooding the room with darkness.

"Congratulations!" Hiccup heard somebody say before the lights were turned on and he saw who it was. It was the Colonel and he was standing behind a table with Ragnar and there was something on the table.

"Wha-what's all this?" Hiccup asked, not really understanding what was happening.

"This is a small celebration between the three of us before the two of you and your dragons do something later tonight. It's been six months and I think that's something special, considering how much you have learned." Ben said.

"What are we doing later and what's in the case?" Hiccup asked him, the case looked familiar but he couldn't tell.

"What you are doing later is between you, Ragnar, Toothless, and Wraith. As for what's in the case, it's your new weapon." Ben told him. That's when it hit the boy, he had seen that type of case before whenever he had practiced shooting with a rifle, it's what was used to transport them. Ragnar unzipped the zipper and opened the case, unveiling Hiccups new rifle.

"Well, don't be shy, come and pick up your weapon," Ragnar said.

"It's a nice looking weapon, I'm not sure if I can accept it." Came the reply as the young teen edged forward.

"Well, this is picked off of how I saw you use the different rifles, and whether you accept it or norm this is your weapon. Now take it." Ragnar said. It was true, he had watched how well Hiccup had done with each rifle and how much time he spent with each.

"Thanks. I have never had my own weapon before, but there is a first for everything right? What type of rifle is it?" Hiccup asked as he picked it up.

"It's an M24A3 SWS Sniper Rifle which fires a .338 Lapua Magnum round and it's all yours. Do anything you wish to it, modify it to your heart's content." Ben said to the awestruck teen before he started to leave. "Now I do believe your dragons are waiting for you gentlemen, I suggest not making them wait."

"Are you going to name it?" Ragnar asked as Hiccup put the rifle away.

"I should shouldn't I." Hiccup said before closing the case and giving it some thought. "I'm going to name her Hefnd Nótt."

"Night's Revenge, I like it. It's very fitting." Ragnar replied as they walked out the door and towards the Dragon's Edge. When the walked into the living area Ragnar walked into Hiccup's room.

"You will keep Hefnd Nótt in your room, unloaded and in this drawer," Ragnar said while pulling open a drawer that had always confused Hiccup as it seemed to have no use. Now he understood it's use though. Hiccup placed the case in the drawer but had kept the rifle in his hand.

"I want to show Toothless. He might as well get used to it right?" Hiccup said as Ragnar eyed him for a second before nodding in understanding. They walked to the elevator and took it down to the ground floor. As normal, Toothless and Wraith were there to meet them.

"I'm so excited to see you Hiccup! Did you know it's been six months since we took off from berk, and I'm so happy we did, I could never imagine losing you." Toothless said as he rushed his rider and started to purr and brush against Hiccup's sides as they exited the elevator.

"Yes I did know, that's why we're here." Hiccup replied as he gestured towards Ragnar.

"What's in your hand Hiccup?" Toothless asked as he finally noticed the rifle Hiccup was holding.

"This is my very own weapon. It's an M24A3 SWS Sniper Rifle." Hiccup told the Night Fury as he held it out for the dragon to sniff it.

"Have you named it yet?" Toothless asked him.

"Yup, I named it Hefnd Nótt, Night's Revenge." Hiccup replied.

"Very appropriate, all things considered," Toothless said.

"Hiccup, go put it away and get Toothless saddled up. We got something to do." Ragnar said. He almost turned into somebody else when they went flying.

"Ok, I'll be right back." Hiccup replied before walking back to the elevator to go back to his room and put Hefnd Nótt away. When he returned he could hardly get the flying equipment on Toothless because said dragon was jumping all around. Once they got out of the building, they just flew and did tricks in the wondrous, slightly stormy night sky until they got tired and turned in.

However, through this time of great celebration for Hiccup and Ragnar, there were gathering storm clouds brewing in the distance of things buried still that had yet to surface. And, as such things buried tend to be, they would come to the light soon enough. That would be when the true battle began: the battle of the human soul...

Dun Dun Duuuun! Haha, sorry that's just felt right. So what do you guys think so far? Anybody like the name I gave to Hiccup's new rifle? Or how about back on berk? Any likes, dislikes, comments, or suggestions? Well if you do have any just drop them into that review box down below and then send it to us. The more the merrier right?

So something most of you will not know, there is now a Facebook page for me and two people have already followed it. So I will be posting updates on how writing is going...and maybe some spoilers, who knows. *Maniacal laugh*