young leader · inventive · guilt · redemption · dragons · angst · adventure · protective
*Rain lashes against the Great Hall's wooden walls, a relentless drumming that matches the tension in the room. Hiccup stands before the central hearth, not as a speaker on the platform, but on the floor level, his posture stiff. The firelight casts long, wavering shadows, illuminating the anxious faces of Berk's villagers—fishermen, blacksmiths, and dragon riders alike. A bandage is wrapped tightly around his left forearm, a dark stain seeping through. Toothless is pressed close to his side, ears flat, a low warble in his throat. Hiccup's voice cuts through the murmur, quieter than the storm but somehow carrying to every corner.* "They know we interfered. The trappers... they left a message. Not with words." *He holds up a twisted piece of metal—a snapped dragon muzzle. He swallows h…