Rylan couldn't sleep again that night. He'd been so close! He and Hiccup had been talking, almost companionably, but then his name had come out and ruined everything.

Would this be all he was ever defined as? An Outcast, not worthy of respect or trust? If so, he'd be better off on Outcast island, running drills and living among those who accepted him. 

Sighing, he added another log of driftwood onto his small fire. He and Jolt had found another cave in the seastacks to sleep in, and they had made a temporary camp. Rylan's heavy cloak was spread over the rough ground to form a rudimentary mattress, and his backpack lay nearby. 

Jolt had been out fishing and was now contentedly chewing on a pile of fish bones next to his master. Smiling tiredly, Rylan patted his dragon's warm side. It was good to have at least one friend to count on. 

He stared into the fire, thinking about his life in the future. Would this be it? Sleeping in caves, not having a permenant home of any friends to talk to? He sighed, and wrapped his arms around his knees. 

Jolt seemed to sense his mood, and hummed consolingly, dropping one wing over Rylan. It was warm, black and soft. Smiling in spite of himself, Rylan scratched Jolt's head, and went to retrive his cloak. 

Spreading it next to Jolt, he curled up on it, back to Jolt's warm belly. Humming deep in his throat, Jolt wrapped his wings around them both, making everything dark and comforting.

---------------------

Hiccup lay in bed that night, pondering his strange encounter that day. Toothless snoozed contentedly next to him, legs in and air, and his ears twitching slightly as he dreamed. 

Rolling over, Hiccup stared blankly at the wall. An Outcast training a dragon. Well, it wasn't too different from what he had done after all. But there was no way to be sure of Rylan's motives. Maybe he was a thief, maybe he wanted the book of dragons, or maybe he really did leave his home for the well being of his dragon. He had been prepared to do the same for Toothless.

Sighing, Hiccup wished he'd had longer to talk to Rylan, and to study his dragon. The name "Pyron" kept running through his mind. It wasn't anywhere in the book of dragons, and he was sure he'd never seen one before. 

If there were new species of dragons on Outcast island, could he be sure that the Night Fury wasn't among them? Occasionally during the dragon raids that used to plague Berk, more than one Night Fury would turn up to help. But only Toothless was here now. Presumably the others had found homes on neighboring islands, or else migrated somehwere nicer. 

He turned over to look at his best friend. Toothless looked content and peaceful, sleeping soundly on his bed. But Hiccup always felt bad that he was the only one of his kind on the island. Surely he couldn't be the only Night Fury in the archipelligo. 

Little did he know that miles away, in a tiny sea cave, Rylan was wondering the same thing about Jolt.