"...And that's what happened to the dragons," said Hiccup.

Overhead, the sky was blue, and the occasional cloud drifted lazily by. Water trickled from a stream leading into the Cove, where Hiccup and his son were seated, Hiccup on a rock and the small boy across from him.

His son, Stoick, tilted his head. "Really?" he asked; the boy was merely six, and yet he was already the smartest of the Berkian youths. He had shaggy blond hair and blue eyes, both which he had inherited from his mother, but he, like his father, was a hiccup.

"Yes, really," said Hiccup. "All I told you was true. There were dragons when I was a boy."

"So there really were dragons, a long time ago?" said Stoick, and he shook his head. "Buffnut Thorston said they were a myth."

Hiccup chuckled and shook his head. "Buffnut," he said. "He definitely has his father's brains...which is more or less a compliment…"

He took a moment to survey his surroundings. The Cove, now overgrown by trees and vines that hung from rock crannies and plateaus; trees, having grown tall and thick due to the numerous rains and flooding of the river. So much had changed, and yet, so much was still the same.

Stoick nodded eagerly and bounced to his feet. "This is great!" he said. "Now I can go tell them the story! And I'll tell them that you told me it was true, too! They'll believe me then, won't they, Dad?"

"Yes, they will, son," said Hiccup. He got to his feet; or, more accurately, one foot and prosthetic. "Come on, let's get back to the village before your mother gets worried. It's getting late."

Stoick nodded and raced towards his father, putting his small hand in Hiccup's. But at the last second, Stoick glanced over his shoulder and paused.

"Hey, Dad, what's that?" he said, pointing.

"Very funny, but I'm not falling for it this time," said Hiccup, smiling. Honestly, Stoick spent too much time around the Thorston children for his own good. He had picked up on their tricks and never wasted the opportunity to prank someone.

"No, Dad, I'm serious!" said Stoick, and he suddenly jerked away and sped off in the opposite direction, chasing something.

"Stoick!?" Hiccup shouted, and he took off after him. "Stoick! What are you doing?"

For the love of Thor, why couldn't Stoick have inherited his mother's personality? Stoick reminded Hiccup a lot of himself, the way he was when he was a boy, always running off against his father's wishes, chasing after imaginary trolls.

Hiccup chased Stoick beneath an overgrown tree - the tree Toothless had used to sleep in, hanging by his tail like a bat, all those many, many years ago. Hiccup tripped over his prosthetic, like he'd done countless times after the battle against the Red Death.

He passed the stream, where Toothless used to hunt for fish.

He passed the rock cranny he'd watched from, when he was just a boy, first discovering the Night Fury in the Cove.

He ducked beneath a low hanging branch and finally caught up with Stoick, who had stopped, back turned to Hiccup.

"Stoick…" Hiccup panted, hand over the stitch in his side; Thor, he was getting too old for this. "How many...times...do I have to tell you...not to run off like that…?"

If Stoick heard Hiccup's question, he didn't bother answering. Instead, he pointed frantically. "Dad, look!" he said. "Look!"

And Hiccup lifted his head.

He froze.

Standing, just feet away from Stoick, was a small, jet-black dragon, with toxic green eyes and a curious expression. Stoick blinked at it; the dragon blinked back.

"Dad! Look!" Stoick repeated, and he stepped forward eagerly. Hiccup couldn't move. The last time he'd seen a dragon was...was...well, it was a long time ago. Over ten years, actually.

Stoick held his hand out to the small, black dragon...

"Stoick, wait-" Hiccup said, preparing to grab Stoick and pull him back, but before he had the chance, the black dragon pressed its head against Stoick's palm. Stoick laughed, somewhat hysterically.

"Look, Dad!" said Stoick, beaming back at Hiccup's shocked expression. "I think he likes me! What should I call you, huh?"

"Impossible…" Hiccup whispered, doing a double-take. "This can't be…"

The bushes behind the small black dragon rustled, and a much larger black dragon leapt into sight.

The dragon, larger and older, looked at Stoick, and then, raised his eyes to Hiccup.

Recognition flashed in both man and dragon's eyes, and suddenly, Hiccup knew.

He knew this dragon.

"...Toothless…?" he said, hardly daring to believe it.

The Night Fury, Toothless - the same Toothless Hiccup had befriended over twenty years ago, the same Toothless who had saved Hiccup's life, the same Toothless who had been, and would always be, Hiccup's first and best friend - smiled at him.

And Hiccup, overwhelmed by something - joy, disbelief, amazement, he couldn't figure out which yet - smiled back.

My end is my beginning.

There were dragons when I was a boy…

Author's Notes:

*bangs head repeatedly against the wall* FEELS *bang* FEELS *bang* FEELS *bang* FEELS!

Okay, so those of you who read the books knows what happened to the dragons but obviously I'm not going to spoil anything, but I'm just going to say that the books were probably one of the most beautiful things I've ever read, and that's saying a lot, because I read a lot of books.

And those who read the books ALSO know that the final book ends with the words "My end is my beginning...there were dragons when I was a boy," so you guys got it, and the rest of you who have not read the books, well, I hope you read them soon.

THEY ARE AMAZING. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THEM YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING. SO DO ME A BIG FAVOR AND READ THEM, 'KAY? YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

Okay, enough of my creepy demanding skills (heh heh heh *rubs hands together*). I hope you enjoyed the story, and I'll see you all soon! :)

Cheers!

-BeyondTheClouds777