A/N: Okay, so before we start I want to cover my back. I did no research on Viking and Scot history. I remember reading somewhere that they didn't get along so I took that and ran with it. I plead creative licensing on anything that seems inconsistent with the HTTYD books because I've only seen the movie. Also, I know that Berk is an island but for all intensive purposes I plead creative licensing and it is now a Viking village off the coast of Scotland.

Summary: Lately Toothless has been disappearing on Hiccup for hours on end, exploring the far reaches of the land around Berk. Curious as to where his friend is going off to Hiccup follows him deep into Scot's territory and meets Merida who seems to be well acquainted with the Night Fury already. Merida and Angus are on their daily ride through the forest when a rustling in the bushes behind makes them pause. Merida draws an arrow, taking aim at the unknown presence.

I hope you enjoy it, don't forget to review!

"Oh, it's just you," Merida laughed, visibly relieved to see the large black dragon crawling out from the shadow of the trees. She lowered her bow and her smile turned into a frown. "Ya nearly gave me a 'aert attack ya big brute."

Toothless just grinned at her, bounding out from the shelter of the forest shrubbery. Angus whined, shifting nervously at the dragon's proximity. He still wasn't used to the beast being so close.

"Oh hush, Angus, it's just Gum," Merida scolded, slinging her bow over her shoulder and sliding off his back. Toothless purred happily as the Scottish princess rubbed his head affectionately. "See," she glanced at her horse over her shoulder, "'E's 'armless."

Hiccup watched the pair from his hiding place in the bushes a little ways off. For the past few weeks Toothless had been disappearing on him for hours on end and Hiccup was getting curious as to where he kept going off too. The boy had followed his dragon all the way from the coast, deep into the heart of the woods, the woods that belonged to the Scottish clan DunBrock. There was a reason he hadn't revealed himself yet. The girl was obviously a Scot. Dragons weren't Berk's only enemies and if the Scots found him, a Viking, wandering their woods he would be in deep trouble.

"Gum?"

He raised an eyebrow at the name the red head had given Toothless. He wasn't sure which was more shocking, the ridiculous name or the fact that she even had a nickname for the dragon in the first place. She looked so comfortable with him. Why wasn't she screaming and running for her life? She wasn't having any of the normal reactions most people had when meeting Toothless for the first time. She was rolling around with the over grown lizard like they had been friends their whole lives.

"So this is where you've been going off to?" Hiccup whispered to himself, "What are you doing Toothless?"

The girl dug through her horse's saddle bags. She was pretty, Hiccup though. Very pretty, with bright blue eyes that he could see shining all the way across the clearing and the craziest hair he had ever seen. Seriously it was bright red and everywhere, flying around her head like a wild fire, as cliché as it sounded, every time she moved. Hiccup wouldn't be surprised if every shade of red in the spectrum was hiding in the mass of those curls.

"Ah've got somethin' fer ya," Merida sang, pulling out a small green satchel and dangling it in front of Toothless. He nudged it with his nose, sniffing curiously. Whatever he smelled got him excited and his ears perked up. He lunged for the bag but she swung it out of his reach, giggling. "Ah ah ah," she chided, shaking a thin finger at him. "Ye want the fish? Ye can 'ave it if ye let me ride ye."

Uh oh. Hiccup bit his lip nervously watching Toothless' reaction carefully.

Toothless narrowed his eyes, his puppy-ish demeanor had vanished replaced by a cautious, distrustful air. Hiccup knew Toothless didn't like other riders. Not even Astrid had been given the privilege of riding Toothless without Hiccup on his back as well. If the girl tried to force herself on him there was no way this would end well.

Merida approached him slowly, arms outstretch, "Come on. Jus' a wee little ride an ye can 'ave yer fish. Ah won't 'urt ye."

Toothless growled softly in warning, backing away from her. His lips pulled back to reveal a set of sharp white teeth but Merida kept coming, slowly closing the distance between her and the dragon. Hiccup watched in disbelief. This girl was either very brave, very stupid or a little bit of both.

"She has a death wish," Hiccup muttered to himself. He had to do something before she got hurt. Hiccup stepped out from the bushes and entered the clearing.

"Ah… I wouldn't do that if I were you," He called, making her jump. She spun on her heel, blue eyes wide with surprise. "Toothless doesn't really let other people ride him. It's a uh… it's a thing."

Merida stared at him, confusion flooding her soft features. Then she took in his clothing, obviously the cloths of a viking, and recognition flashed in her eyes, followed by anger.

Now there was a reaction he anticipated. To bad it was the opposite of what he was hoping for.

What happened next happened so quickly Hiccup was sure that if he blinked he would have missed the whole thing. She dropped the satchel full of fish, whipped her bow from her back and drew an arrow from the quiver on her hip in one swift motion. Toothless roared and leaped over her head, landing in between Hiccup and the girl with a thunders thud. Outraged, her horse reared, letting out a deafening neigh and coming to his rider's aid.

"Angus!" Merida cried, as Toothless turned his violent green gaze onto the raging Clydesdale and rose on his hind legs to meet him, spreading his black wings to make himself even with the horse. She trained her arrow on the dragon completely prepared to shoot at him to protect her horse when the Viking boy ran in between the two animals, arms outstretch.

Angus skidded to a stop and snorted, glaring at a hissing Toothless.

"Stop. Toothless. Down." The boy's voice was firm and surprisingly calm for the current situation. "Down, boy. Don't hurt him. You don't want to hurt him."

Merida's eyes widened as she watched in shock as Toothless actually listened to the scrawny boy. The dragon growled but pressed himself down to the ground, glaring back at the horse.

"Good boy, Toothless," he said, placing a calming hand on his head. "That's it."

Angus snorted again and pawed at the ground, shaking out his mane anxiously. He turned and made his way over to Merida who still had her arrow drawn. Hiccup held his hands up.

"You can put that away now," He said. The creak of her bow as she tightened her pull on the arrow made him falter. He swallowed nervously.

"What are ye doin' 'ere?" She asked.

"Um.."

"'Oo are ye? Ye think ah don't recognize a Northman when ah see one? Ah won't be 'aven a no good Viking scout in mah forest. Now 'oo are ye an' what. Are. Ye. Doin' 'ere?"