The days drifted by, and soon the first snowfall arrived, coating the island in a soft, shimmering blanket of white. I sat in the great hall, savoring the mutton before me—not from the sheep of Berk, of course, but from a few I'd found on the neighboring islands during my travels. The fire crackled in the hearth, the warmth flickering against the chill of the air, and beside me, Toothless sat contentedly, his tail occasionally flicking as he shot small bursts of plasma into the flames, making them crackle and dance.

The sound of the fire and the warmth of the hall were comforting, and I let myself relax, the familiar rhythms of life on Berk settling over me like a well-worn cloak. It was strange to think that just a short time ago, I had been lost, trapped in a kingdom of shadows. But now, here, with Toothless and my friends, I was where I belonged.

"Shall we go out and fly in the snow?" Toothless asked after a quiet moment, his eyes gleaming with excitement. I flicked my tail thoughtfully, considering his offer.

"Sure, but is it really safe?" I raised an eyebrow, a teasing edge in my voice. "You can't fly without Hiccup."

Toothless gave a little snort, his wings twitching as he looked up at me. "True enough," he said with a grin. "But I have a feeling Hiccup and Astrid might want to play a bit too."

I chuckled at that, the warmth of the thought filling me. "Maybe so," I agreed, giving him a playful nudge. "I can ask him."

I stood up and stretched my wings, feeling the soft tension of the muscles, sore but eager for movement. After a moment, I nuzzled Toothless affectionately, feeling the familiar warmth of his scales against mine. "I'll be back," I promised, stepping toward the door.

As I made my way out, the cold air hit my face, and I took in a deep breath, ready for the flight ahead. The snow had a way of making everything feel fresh, new, as if the world had been scrubbed clean and was waiting for us to make our mark on it.

I found Astrid, Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Snotlout huddled together just outside of Hiccup's house, wrapped in cloaks to ward off the cold. The snow had settled thick around the village, coating the roofs and trees in a blanket of white, making everything look even quieter, more peaceful.

I padded up to Hiccup and nudged his curls with my snout. He jumped slightly, letting out a surprised yelp, but the tension quickly melted away as he chuckled. "Azure, you know I don't like being startled," he said, his breath forming little clouds in the air.

I rumbled low in my chest, feeling a playful warmth at the sound of his voice, and nuzzled him gently. "Sorry," I murmured, apologizing even as I knew it was mostly harmless.

Snotlout snorted from behind us, his arms crossed. "You're easily startled, Hiccup. Just admit it." He rolled his eyes, and before anyone could respond, he whistled sharply.

Within moments, Hookfang appeared, lumbering over to join us. He flicked his tail in my direction, and it brushed against me with a swat that had just enough force to make me stagger a bit. "Are you coming out too, or are you just going to enjoy yourself in there with Toothless?" he grumbled, his voice a mix of sarcasm and genuine curiosity.

I rolled my eyes, giving the Monstrous Nightmare a playful nudge. "I'm planning on it," I replied, my wings twitching with anticipation. "But first, I wanted to see if you were up for a little fun. Snow's waiting."

Hiccup chuckled as he straightened his cloak. "Sounds like we could all use a little break," he said, and I could see the gleam of excitement in his eyes. The snow was calling to us, and soon enough, we'd be out there, tearing through the sky together once again.

Toothless trotted out from behind Hiccup's house, his sleek black form gleaming against the white snow. He hopped eagerly over to Hiccup, who leaned down to scratch him under the chin. Toothless leaned into the touch, his tail flicking happily behind him.

Hiccup straightened, grinning. "Let's fly," he said, his voice laced with excitement.

He turned to Astrid and Snotlout, who were already making their way toward their dragons. "Are you coming too?"

Astrid gave a determined nod as she hopped onto Stormfly. "Of course. I could use a bit of play."

Snotlout grumbled but followed suit, climbing onto Hookfang with a reluctant flick of his tail. With that, we all took off into the cold, crisp sky, the wind biting against our faces as we soared higher, leaving Berk behind for the moment. We flew for a while until we spotted a long clearing covered in thick snow, with the remnants of broken pine trees scattered around, their branches bowed under the weight of the recent snowfall.

I stretched my wings wide as we landed, the snow crunching underfoot. I immediately flopped down onto my belly, the chill of the snow seeping through my scales, making me shiver. "Brr, it's colder than I thought," I laughed, shuffling around to get comfortable.

Toothless hopped beside me, eyes gleaming mischievously. I tossed a little snow at him, and he gasped, ducking out of the way with an exaggerated leap.

But Hiccup wasn't as lucky. As I threw the snow, he turned just in time to catch a face full of it. He sputtered, wiping his face as snow melted into his hair. "Oh, is that how you want it, Azure?" he asked, grinning wide, the playful challenge in his eyes.

Without warning, Hiccup bent down and scooped up a snowball, launching it in my direction. It hit me harmlessly, but I gasped dramatically, pretending to stagger back from the impact. "Ah! You've killed me, Hiccup. How could you?" I cried, falling dramatically to my side and splaying my wings out to mimic a dead dragon.

The others erupted into laughter as I lay there, spreading my wings wide. "I'm gone," I said in a theatrical voice, pretending to be defeated. "There's no coming back from this."

Hiccup grinned, his eyes full of amusement as he crouched down beside me. "Well, it looks like I'll have to revive you, Azure," he said, as if he truly was concerned for my death. I felt the weight of his gaze and let out a long sigh, waiting for the inevitable laughter to follow.

We all laughed, the sound ringing through the cold air, our spirits light as we slid down the snowy slopes on our bellies like a bunch of overgrown kids, enjoying the freedom of the wild, wintry landscape. I could feel the rush of wind as I zipped past, my wings stretched out, guiding me along the snowy surface like an expert skier.

It was exhilarating, feeling the snow under my claws and the thrill of the slope beneath me. We must've gone quite a ways when I suddenly felt a deep rumble beneath me. My heart skipped a beat.

I glanced back over my shoulder, and that's when I saw it—an avalanche, roaring down the mountain, a massive wave of snow crashing toward us. Panic surged through me. "Avalanche!" I shouted, my voice sharp and urgent, cutting through the joy of the moment.

Hookfang and Stormfly were already lifting into the air, their wings flapping furiously as they rose into the sky. The others followed suit, all of us scrambling to get out of the avalanche's path. But as my eyes searched the ground for Toothless and Hiccup, I realized with horror that they were too slow.

Toothless' tail had frozen, the ice clinging to it like an anchor, and they were stuck, unable to gain altitude. "No!" I cried, my voice full of dread as I saw them heading straight toward the edge of a ravine.

Without thinking, I shot toward them. "Hold on!" I shouted, my claws outstretched as I grabbed Toothless by the shoulders. He looked up at me, his eyes wide with panic. "No, fly away, save yourself!" he shouted, his voice desperate.

But there was no way I could leave him behind. I shook my head fiercely. "I'm not leaving you!"

I strained against the weight of him, trying to lift him into the air, but the snow was so thick, and Toothless—despite being smaller than me—was heavier than I expected. Winter added extra bulk to his frame, and I struggled to get a proper grip. Before I could get us airborne, the snow came down too fast, and we were pulled into the ravine, swallowed by the roaring snowstorm.

Everything went black. The sound of crashing snow, of panic and fear, faded into silence, and then... nothing.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

I must have hit my head hard because when I finally woke, it took a moment for everything to make sense. The pain throbbed through my temples, sharp and insistent. I groaned softly, trying to push through the haze of disorientation.

"Azure, Azure," a familiar voice called out to me, desperate and frantic. I immediately recognized it—Toothless. His voice, though laced with concern, was a balm to my scattered thoughts. "Awake, please, just wake up."

His snout nudged me gently, a familiar touch that urged me back into the world. I blinked my eyes open, groaning as I squinted against the dim light. We were still in the ravine, buried beneath the snow. The weight of the cold pressed against me from all sides, and I realized, with a sinking feeling, that snow and debris had fallen on top of me, trapping me. I tried to shift, but more snow slid down between my wings, and the weight made it harder to move.

"Great," I muttered under my breath, trying to free myself, but the snow was heavy and thick, pinning me down.

Toothless, sensing my struggle, called to me again. "Here, let me give us some light."

With a soft whine of effort, Toothless shot up into the snow, his plasma lighting up the darkened space. But the light flickered, weak at first, struggling to break through. He shot higher, his wings beating fiercely against the trapped air, and then—there it was. A burst of light, a crack in the ceiling of the ravine where Toothless' plasma had cleared enough of the snow. Daylight spilled in, washing over us, a sign of hope, of life.

I exhaled, a mixture of relief and pain. With the light, I could finally see the full extent of our situation.

My wing was completely covered, the snow packed so tightly around it that it was nearly impossible to move. There were stones and tree trunks mixed in with the snow, making the situation worse. My heart raced, but I forced myself to look over at Toothless.

Hiccup... he was safe, I could see that much. He was held tightly beneath Toothless, the Night Fury's wings shielding him from the snow.

"Is he...?" I asked weakly, my voice raspy.

Toothless flicked an ear, his eyes soft with concern. "He's alive, but we need to get out of here."

I nodded slowly, trying to shake the lingering dizziness from my head. With the daylight now flooding the ravine, I could see just how much we needed to do to survive. But we were together again, and that gave me the strength to fight through the pain.

"We'll get out of here," I whispered to myself, to Toothless, and to Hiccup, though the words felt like a promise to the whole world.

I stayed still as Toothless carefully licked the base of my twisted wing, the gentle touch easing some of the sharp pain. My body ached from the snow and the weight that had crushed me, but I could feel the warmth of his concern pouring through with every soft lick. I tried to stretch out my wing again, testing it gingerly. The pain was still there, a constant throb, but I pushed through it.

"We'll be okay," I whispered, more to myself than to Toothless. I couldn't afford to show weakness, not now. Not when I was finally free.

Once I felt steady enough, I turned my gaze toward the hole in the ravine's ceiling, sunlight pouring through the cracks like a beacon. I could feel the cold seeping into my bones, but at least now we had a way out. I was alive. Toothless was alive. Hiccup was alive. That was all that mattered.

Stormfly's eye peered into the cave, wide and expectant, followed by the sound of Hookfang's grumbling. "They're alive!" Stormfly chirped, and I heard the flick of Hookfang's tail as he tried to help from above.

"Grab it!" Hookfang shouted, his voice strained.

I nudged Toothless up and motioned for him to take hold of the tail. "Get it," I urged.

Toothless didn't hesitate. He stretched up, gripping the tail with his claws. The moment he made contact, I heard Hookfang grunt in effort, pulling us up.

It was slow going at first, the snow clinging stubbornly to my wings and limbs, but little by little, I worked to clear the snow and branches that had settled on top of me. My wing screamed in pain with every movement, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. Eventually, after what felt like hours of struggle, I finally managed to clear enough of myself to crawl cautiously out of the cave.

The ravine still felt precarious, and I feared it would collapse around us at any moment. But Toothless and I moved carefully, keeping our balance as we made our way out. The fresh, cold air hit my face as I climbed up, feeling the weight of the snow fall away from me. I could feel the tension in my wings, the strain from my injury, but there was nothing else I could focus on right now except getting to safety.

Once we were out, Toothless couldn't contain his relief. He jumped on me, knocking me over as he licked my face frantically.

"I thought you were dead," he purred, his eyes wide with fear and joy all mixed together.

I laughed, despite the lingering ache in my body. "I'm not that easy to get rid of," I teased, but the laugh turned into a yelp as I stretched my wing. The pain flared, and I winced, clutching my wing tightly to my side.

Toothless moved over me, his eyes soft with concern as he nuzzled me. "You've twisted it," he said, licking the injury gently. His touch was soothing despite the pain.

"We should get you back," he added, his voice low, a promise to help me through this.

I nodded, knowing he was right. We couldn't stay here. But we had made it out, and with Toothless and my friends by my side, I knew we would make it through whatever came next.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

It was hard to limp back to the town, but somehow, with Toothless' support and the help of my friends, I made it back to Berk. Every step sent sharp twinges of pain through my twisted wing, but I refused to show how much it hurt. I focused on the comforting warmth of Toothless beside me, and soon, we arrived at the familiar sight of the village.

Gobber was already waiting for us at the gates, his large frame hunched over in that familiar, protective stance. His sharp eyes scanned me quickly, and his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"Ah, Azure, I see you've got yourself into a bit of trouble, eh?" Gobber grunted, his voice always rough but caring. "Let me take a look at that wing of yours."

I nodded, feeling the exhaustion seep into my bones. Toothless stepped back as Gobber gently prodded my wing, making sure not to cause more pain. I winced as he inspected the injury, but I didn't make a sound, knowing he was just trying to help.

"Hm, yes, it's strained alright," Gobber muttered, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Looks like you've been a bit too foolish trying to fly on it. You'll need a few more days to heal, at least."

I sighed, not exactly thrilled with the idea of staying grounded. But Gobber's expression softened, and he began to wrap my wing carefully with bandages. His movements were practiced, quick but precise. He secured the bandages with a branch to help keep it stable.

"There," Gobber said, stepping back. "That should do it. No flying for you for a while, Azure. You've got to give it some time to heal properly."

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. It was hard to accept that I couldn't fly, especially after everything that had happened. But for now, I had to trust that taking it easy was the best way forward.

Toothless nuzzled me once again, his concern still evident. I smiled softly at him, grateful for his unwavering support.

"Thanks, Gobber," I said quietly. "I'll take it easy."

Gobber grunted in approval. "Good. Now, get some rest. We'll need you in fighting shape soon enough."

With that, I limped off to my home, grateful for the warmth and care of Berk, and for the chance to heal.

When I got back to my stall, I could feel the exhaustion settling in, and a sigh escaped me as smoke drifted lazily from my nostrils. Toothless came over, carrying a bundle of fish in his mouth. He set it down gently in front of me, his eyes full of concern.

"Here, this should help you," he said, his voice soft and warm as he nuzzled me lightly.

I glanced at the fish, feeling a faint rumble in my stomach, but it wasn't enough to fully lift my spirits. I wasn't hungry, not really—not with the strain in my wing still aching, even after Gobber's care. But I knew I needed to eat, and Toothless was always looking out for me.

I forced myself to eat, chewing slowly, though every bite felt like a chore. My thoughts were clouded, heavy with everything that had happened, and my wing still pulsed with a dull, persistent pain. Gobber had wrapped it up and done his best, but there was no magic in his bandages—only time could heal me now.

Toothless sat beside me, his body warm and comforting as he watched over me. He didn't push me to eat more, just stayed by my side as I finished the fish, his presence a steady reminder that I wasn't alone.

Once I finished, I curled up on the soft straw in my stall, my wings tucked gently around me, though the one still throbbed with soreness. Toothless lay beside me, keeping close as always. The warmth of the stable and the sound of his breathing helped soothe me.

Soon, the fatigue took over, and I slipped into a deep sleep, knowing that tomorrow would come with new challenges. But for now, I was content in the quiet safety of Berk and the comfort of my friends.