Flint Visits Berk

“Alright, Toothless. Stoick’s brother is coming for a visit. Flint’s a traveler; he’s been places s lot of people here haven’t seen, where the beards and moustache s aren’t as fine ass the ones we have on Berk.” Gobber stopped to examine his own moustache, a too long thing full of what human call knots.

Humans were ridiculous about their hair, and Toothless swished his tail.

“I’m getting on with it, you impatient lizard. So, Flint. He’s Hiccup’s uncle, and harasses Stoick, talking about seeing new places and meeting all sorts of folk,but Stoick never goes anywhere.”

“Anyway, a few years back, Flint said to Hiccup,” Gobber looked irritated, ‘You’re going to grow up to be just like your father.’ Well, Hiccup got excited, but then he said, ‘you’ll never go anywhere, or perform great deeds.’”

Toothless growled. Stoick wasn’t weak. Hiccup wasn’t weak. Toothless would find this idiot and back him into a corned and roar. This Flint was going to get a plasma blast at his feet. Toothless had an ocean to dangle him over—by his hair.

“Hold on, Toothless, or I shan’t tell you the rest.” Gobber folded his arms and gave Toothless the Look. Toothless whapped Hiccup with an ear plate when he was being stupid. Gobber had the Look, and Toothless forced himself to calm down and sit straight. “That’s better. Now can you listen?”

“Roo.” Toothless nodded; getting the Look was embarrassing, and he knew better.

“Good. Now Flint isn’t the kind of man to believe you and Hiccup ended the war. He won’t believe Stoick found the nest—yes, I know it was you—Gobber said at Toothless’s huff—”because in hundreds of years, no one had found it before. He won’t believe you and Hiccup are friends, or that Stoick welcomed dragons to Berk, or that Hiccup brought peace between dragons and Vikings.”

Toothless hissed. Deafening the man wasn’t enough for this Uncle Flint. Toothless would grab him by the ankle and dangle him from a cliff top.

“Not this again.” Gobber rapped Toothless on his head. “If you don’t listen to me, I’m kicking you out, don’t think I won’t. Have you finished with the tantrum?”

Toothless huffed, and shot Gobber a dirty look.

“If you don’t want my help, leave. You’ve got ten seconds to pull yourself together.”

Help? Toothless was willing to take that. He dropped the grimace and rubbed up against Gobber, crooning.I’m sorry.

“I know, but you’d better not show me another fit of temper, y’hear?” Toothless stared at the floor in guilt. “alright, I can see you mean it. I’ll give you one more chance because you’re angry Hiccup’s getting hurt.”

Toothless raised his head and nodded. “Roo.”

“Stoick’s fed up with Flint and plans to take him down a peg. That visit when Hiccup heard he be weak all his life upset Stoick, and they haven’t been nearly as close. Flint knows he got under Stoick’s skin, and says that every visit now. “

“As for Hiccup, he’s angry at the insults to Stoick. The lad has protected Stoick for years. I know it sounds odd, but it’s true.”

His human did try to hide things from his father. He didn’t “want to worry Dad.” His small, breakable rider was a protector.

It explained a lot.

Toothless cocked his head and gave a deliberate nod.

“Stoick and Hiccup are going to let that arse say whatever he likes. They won’t bring up you and Hiccup making friends, or finding the nest, or that monster inside. Flint’s heard the tale more than once, and Stoick’s not going to brag on Hiccup.” Toothless blinked. Stoick always boasted about Hiccup too visitors, and Hiccup rolled his eyes and tolerated it. “Aye, Stoick doesn’t like it, but Hiccup’s relieved.They’re saving it up, y’see. Hiccup figures if his uncle sees you right away, he’ll decide you’re harmless, or here for the free fish or something like that.” Toothless snorted. Humans called him the Night Fury, theonly dragon you hide from. “He’s a muttonhead.”

“You,” Gobber pointed to him, “are hiding so you can show up later and give a right knock to Flint’s pride. He deserves it.”

“Roo!” Toothless nodded repeatedly, grinning all the while. “Roo, roo, roo, roo, roo.”

“I’m glad you approve. Now, you think about what to show him. This tribe’s going to hear everything he says, and they won’t like it. Imagine that for a moment.”

Toothless did. Hiccup’s uncle acting smug, and calling Stoick and Hiccup weak liars. The tribe liked Hiccup, and the dragons peace, and living with dragons. Toothless wa taking this man flying. Oh, yes. Toothless and Hiccup pilled a lot of stunts, because Hiccup was a daredevil. Hiccup thrilled to it.

Flint would be terrified.

Toothless planned to fly low over Berk, and display the coward. Toothless imagined the laughter at Flint the idiot.

That was fast. The Fury part came later.

For Hiccup’s uncle, he would be silly, smiling Toothless. For Hiccup, he could act harmless.

“Thought it over, have you? It’ll be something, watching Mr. Traveler get a lapful of raw fish. Don’t forget to drool on his shirt. It doesn’t wash out. The stains will be terrible, and his clothes will stink.”

Gobber had sneaky skills like Toothless never imagined. The blacksmith grinned.

“Listen up, and I’ll tell you where to hide.”