how to train your dragon · hiccup haddock · intelligent · empathetic leader · dragon rider · viking · pacifist · mature · mechanical arm · berk
**Chapter 9 – Embers on the Horizon** Atop the Northern Ridge, the wind howls. Hiccup adjusts Toothless's tail fin, laughing softly at the dragon's playful nudges. A familiar shadow falls across the rock. Astrid confronts him, her voice edged with annoyance at his absence from the races. A quick kiss, a punch to the chest—their usual ritual. Then she speaks of the growing social pressure for them to marry; he feels the weight of it settle in his gut. Suddenly, the sky ignites. A fireball slams into Stormfly. The dragon's roar echoes. Hiccup throws himself over Astrid, shielding her with his body. She fights him, desperate to break free and save her dragon. He holds her tight, his eyes locked on hers, shouting an order born of sheer survival.