In How To Train Your Dragon As A Stormcutter

Randy grunted.

Once again, he had eaten his fill. With each new day, each new routine, and the exact same spots and circling within the air he flew and on the ground he walked, the pile of fish in that storage building grew less and less.

With each morsel he ate, Randy looked out to the horizon, and thought about that spot the Deadly Nadder told him of, and how it was in the direction he stared at. He sighed.

This was not about trust.

Ideas and intrusive thoughts were not on Randy's mind, nor was there much anger. He didn't think about whether it was real or not. The ocean was his main thought, and a split second later, Randy felt a cold chill run down his back as he shivered.

'I can't keep doing this,' He growled with annoyance, 'soon, I need to find food, and that means cross...'

Randy gulped.

'Crossing the ocean,'

Of course, he would stay. If it were any other scenario, if he had not needed to get more food, Randy would have stayed there happily until his last breath. That plan to think more was slowly coming to an end.

Nevertheless, Randy kept on living, even as the days went by, and his space turned from what was a haven into a prison cell. Sure, he did the normal and often silly things dragons would do, like spinning around on one spot, jumping from bush to bush as if he was on the zoomies, and messing with the local flora and fauna, either to play with, or out of desperation, as he had just so remembered that Stormcutters were quite fond of plants. However, he would be met with an unsatisfied stomach. Sometimes, he would hang from a tree with his tail, and after falling from moving too much, Randy would experiment with any crevasse his claws could hook in. These were good distractions for an ever-growing problem.

It was one day, when Randy entered that storage building, that his form froze. There was not enough fish left. It seemed as if the food looked more than it was, and that made Randy's heart pound. One would be terrified, but he was more pissed off.

Randy moved outside, growling lowly, even slamming down on a pile of rubble just because he looked at it, and swung his tail violently around as if it were a morning star. He needed to do something. So, as he circled the island from above, Randy glanced at the horizon and the ocean that stretched forever and ever. His eyes shut, then opened.

No.

There was no other option either than to starve to death. Randy was not going to have that sharp pain in his stomach again, and not again was he going to grow progressively weaker, not with the second chance he gained, not with this new life he enjoyed so much.

A moment later, Randy was on a cliff.

His body stood ready, his wings spread, his tail straightened, and his narrowed eyes on the horizon. Randy gazed sharply. Once again, as he laid his eyes on the surface of the sea, his stomach churned, and the strongest pull of fear fell and scuttled beneath his skin, as if it attempted to pull him away. All he did was take deep and slow breaths.

Inhale. Exhale.

'Come on,' Randy thought, egging himself on, 'it's not the surface you're afraid of, it's the deep,'

With bated breath, he was just about to flap down and take to the sky and over the sea, but he did not, as Randy stopped all motion once again, and this time, it wasn't because of fear. You see, he raised his head, and with that, his gaze came into line with a Viking ship. Shields against its sides, a symbol of something on the sails, and the bow and stern had curved edges that ended with a slithering twist. Like a dragon, or something.

There was a fleet of them, more than a dozen.

However, each ship was fitted with rows of Vikings. Each with weapons that could butcher or bludgeon, and they were headed directly to the port of the island.

'...'

Randy's eyes narrowed into slits. There was something about it, he did not know what, but it filled his veins with the ever sadistic intent to crush skulls and incinerate flesh.

•••

"That's the dragon?"

Kurt, on one of the leading boats, placed his hands on the boat's edge and stared up at the dragon. He looked over at Albin, whose face was indifferent to the dragon.

"Jugulator..." Albin grumbled, a hint of disgust laced in his voice, "...I've been waiting to get its head,"

"Albin..." There was concern in Kurt's voice, in his eyes, "...I didn't sail my men and ships here for nothing,"

Albin narrowed his eyes.

"My fight with that monster will not be interfered with. I hope you understand,"

Kurt sighed, but his face softened with understanding as he noticed the damaged village of Gurin, and just about why it was so urgent to evacuate. A few damaged houses he could see were far enough reason.

"You may have your duel, uninterrupted," He told him, "if you fall, I'll make sure it's dead and your village rebuilt,"

"..." Albin looked at the dragon, and back at Kurt, "I won't die, not until I settle my score,"

There was a pause.

"I am grateful for your hospitality to my people," Albin added, inspecting his shield, "we are in your debt, Kurt,"

"Don't mention it," Kurt replied with a slight smile, "I think it's an obligation to help a fellow Viking in need. Especially from a...dragon,"

Once the first ship sailed into the port and docked, Kurt ordered his men to halt, only letting Albin off the ship. The two men gave each other a nod, as a way of respect, before Albin hopped off and onto the wooden pier, immediately walking up the hill, keeping his eyes on the dragon.

•••

Randy watched as this Viking made his way up and into the village. He had recognised him. That made his claws rake against the ground, and so, without much of any hesitance or fuss, he met the Viking's challenge and glare, lifting himself from the spot on the cliff and into what he made out to be the town square.

As he watched Albin walk, closing in on him, Randy noticed the narrowed eyebrows on his face, that same walk of nonchalance, and that underlying hint of anger below the Viking's simple, yet heavy steps. Randy only stood tall and gazed down at him.

For some reason, the other Vikings he saw had vanished from his mind, and Randy was only focused on Albin. Regardless, as the man stepped into the town square before him and Randy saw the stump of what was his right arm, he let out a growl, and his pupils turned to threatening slits.

'I remember you...'

Albin stared back, not saying a word. His left and only hand tightened into a fist, and he shifted, bringing his left shoulder forward, and presented his shield.

"Jugulator, I've been waiting for this,"

For a moment, Randy paused.

'Who? Me?' He thought, tilting his head a little, 'He's given me a nickname?'

Beyond the rage, Randy felt a glint of pride, having received a nickname, and not from anyone, but from one who attempts to oppose him. Furthermore, the nickname did not sound like a mockery.

"You've hurt me once," Albin spoke as he began to walk to the side, circling him. Randy did the same, "I'll make sure you'll suffer forever,"

Randy let out a huff. Sure, Albin was strong and posed a threat to himself, but to say that now, as if he had not beaten him before, it was laughable, to say the least. No respect was lost, but Randy knew what he was to do.

With that, Albin let out a guttural battle cry, one that pierced the very skies above, and with only a shield, dashed forward, with nothing but the spirit of a Viking pushing him onward. Randy shot a powerful fire blast in retaliation.

However, the Viking jumped out of the way, and moments later, he lunged into the air, before bringing his shield down and against Randy's head. Randy grunted. He felt that piece of wood and metal splinter against his crown, and it pissed him off to no end.

So he turned and swung his tail, attempting to punt Albin. However, the chieftain only jumped on his tail and ran up his back, but this time Randy was prepared. He had done this before, why would it be any different?

Randy felt Albin jump and spun his head, but instead of tasting flesh, he ate a mouthful of shield. The Viking made sure to lodge it in before pulling his hand out.

"Take this!"

Balancing himself on Randy's head, Albin stomped down on his face. He even slugged one of Randy's eyes, which stunned him a bit, and he finally reacted as he shook around, throwing Albin off himself.

At this point, Randy grew more irritated, but at Albin for inflicting not really painful, but annoying pain upon him, and himself, for even letting such a Viking do the same thing and stand atop his back and let his only fist pound against his head and eye. His eyes narrowed to slits, and his expression morphed into a growl.

He wasn't going to let this one go.

Despite this, Albin stood firm. After being thrown like a ragdoll, he stood back up, keeping his cool, as if that did not just happen. However, he was empty-handed. You see, his shield, his real and only weapon available, was lodged in Randy's mouth, and since Randy was not fond of that, he crunched down on the shield, using his breath to melt it apart and into nothing.

At this point, Randy took a moment to think; his muscles tensed as if expecting Albin to be something completely unexpected. However, his itch for blood sent him forward. Albin responded by jumping, as if preparing to bring a head-on punch to Randy's temple. Suddenly, Randy stopped, his jaws widening.

He bit down.

It seemed that something, perhaps instinctual, stopped Randy in his tracks, or maybe it was because he kept on getting pummeled each time he went into close combat, but something did, and it was a good thing too. Albin's jump had the Viking head right into snapping distance. There was nothing Albin could do but save some of his body as one of his legs were caught between Randy's jaws and teeth, and just like that, he fell to the floor on his stomach, and Randy felt the blood drip from his mouth once more as Albin's leg, twisted at the point of detachment, slipped on Randy's tongue.

Randy wasted no time.

He did not know why he did it. Perhaps it was the taste of human flesh upon his tongue, or it was the pleasurable feeling of power over another being, but Randy stared down at Albin, who groaned, glancing down at his leg wound, then back at Randy.

'Come on...'

Randy himself gazed back, standing over the injured Viking, his severed leg now hanging from Randy's teeth, and it swung in the wind. Randy tilted his head, both mockingly and with a hint of menace.

'...Need this?'

A high growl left Randy's throat before he swung the leg far away. Albin's face was full of disgust. Instead of killing him, Randy decided to give Albin some space, putting Albin between himself and the Viking's leg, and watched curiously.

"Urgh..."

Randy heard Albin groan, and unlike most dragons, who would have killed the wounded man by now, he felt this insane adrenaline shot of satisfaction. This was enjoyable.

However, it seemed the chieftain was not to break.

"Curse you!" He screamed, propping himself on his one hand to stare up at Randy, "...I will only bow in death, Demon!"

Something about that ticked Randy off. He let out a guttural roar in response and reared closer, his mouth eliciting cinders from it.

"...FATHER!"

That shout echoed Randy out of his bloodlusted stupor, and his neck twisted towards the direction of the voice. His tail twitched.

It was a young man.

He held a long axe, and sweat pooled from every pore of his skin. The man's eyes were filled to the brim with horror and fear at the sight of who Randy assumed was his father on the ground.

'How annoying, to be frank,'

In fact, Randy's claws raked the ground so much, he decided to do something about this disturbance. Suddenly, he snatched Albin, who now struggled by slamming his fist against Randy's face, but the punches were weaker, so with a few adjustments, Randy's teeth clung tightly to the chieftain's waist. A few steps later, Randy stood over the young man, Albin still struggling in his jaws.

"N-No..."

He heard the young man's plea, which was understandable, considering Randy had his father in his jaws. Randy understood this. However, he also understood how effective and delightfully sharp his teeth were through flesh.

A split second later, Randy chomped down.