Hiccup nearly fell over when Stoick tossed him through the front doors of their dark house. He regained his footing, a little sore from being roughly dragged by the back of his vest all the way there, and turned to face the large, dark, imposing form of his father.

"Please, dad." Begged Hiccup, his heart pounding, scared of what his father might do. "They're not what we think they are."

"Not what we think they are?!" Rumbled Stoick.

Hiccup flinched.

"That's what your mother always said, but just look what happened to her."

The mention of his mother was like a knife through Hiccup's heart. Stoick was shaking with rage and red in the face.

Hiccup backed away submissively, trying not to stir his father's anger anymore than necessary. "Just please, don't hurt him," he pleaded. "That dragon, Toothless, is the only real friend I've ever had. If anything were to happen to him–"

"You named the beast?!" Stoick was apalled. "What do you think it is, Hiccup, some kind of pet? That is a dangerous, bloodthirsty monster. Maybe you used some tricks to tame it, ride it even, but one day it will turn on you. They can't be trusted."

"Dad, you don't understand." Said Hiccup, trying to stay calm.

"No, you don't understand, son. I can't just let this go unpunished. Tomorrow, you'll come with me, and I'll kill the dragon myself, then we'll forget any of this ever happened. It's clear you were never cut out for dragon fighting, after all."

Hiccup gasped, the idea of having to watch Toothless die putting him on the verge of tears. "No, dad. Don't kill him. I'm begging you."

Stoick slammed him fist against a shield on the wall. "Don't you get it, Hiccup? This is a lesson you are going to have to learn. If you refuse, or even try to stop me, I'll be forced to exile you, and you'll never be accepted in Berk again. I'll have to disown you as my son. Do you really want that?"

Hiccup hesitated.

"Don't be a fool, Hiccup."

Hiccup felt tense through his whole body. "I just have one question." He said, slowly, hanging on to each word. "Will Toothless be able to come with me if I leave?"

"If you wish it." Muttered Stoick, his face emotionless, knowing already what Hiccup would choose.

Hiccup took a deep breath. "Then consider me gone. I'm sure the village will be happy to have me gone anyway."

"Is that your final decision?"

"Yes."

"Then I hereby declare you exiled from Berk. You no longer will be considered a Haddock, or my son. Do you understand that?"

Hiccup hung his head. "Yes, I do."

"Then you have until sunrise to be gone. I'll have Gobber take care of the formalities, and take your dragon out of it's cage before you leave." Without another word, or any goodbye, Stoick left the house, slamming the doors behind him.

Hiccup watched him leave, and fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands.

He didn't see Stoick again as he gathered whatever belongings and provisions he could carry. He sighed as he walked out into the village. It was clear that Stoick had gotten the word out. No one was looking at him. They all turned away as soon as they caught sight of him.

"Hiccup." Said Gobber, putting a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Come with me."

Hiccup flinched a little away from his hand, and turned to face the blacksmith. "I'm guessing for the formalities my da– Stoick was talking about?"

Gobber nodded, his expression heavy and somber as he avoided Hiccup's eyes. "It's tradition for an exile to receive some kind of mark to brand them as such. Stoick told me to only let you leave with the dragon if you cooperate."

Hiccup felt his chest tighten up, knowing whatever Gobber was going to do, it was going to hurt a lot, but he took a deep breath. He was going to get out of this looking strong. . .hopefully. "Alright. I'll follow you."

The entrance to the forgery looked foreboding as Hiccup followed Gobber into it. Just the very fact that it was the forgery made Hiccup feel nauseated.

Gobber motioned to a stone shelf, and pushed Hiccup toward it. "Take off your shirt, and kneel next to that shelf. I'll get you something to bit on."

Hiccup nodded, and did what he was told, though "something to bite on" was hardly a comforting concept. He took off his vest, belt, and shirt, exposing his freckled back and chest, before kneeling with his arms on the shelf. His stomach dropped when Gobber reached over and tied his wrists securely to a metal hook on the shelf. He put a piece of hard and bitter leather between Hiccup's teeth.

"I'm sorry about this, Hiccup." Said Gobber.

Hiccup felt he charcoal marks across his back, extending from his shoulders to his waist and all the way across it's width. It only kicked up his anxiety, and he flinched when Gobber began replacing the marks with quick, sharp cuts, just deep enough to ensure scars. He bit into the leather and balled his fists until his knuckles were white, digging his fingernails into his palms. Tears streamed from his tightly shut eyes as he struggled to hold still. Squirming would only mess Gobber up, and he wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

He could only imagine what toothless was going through.

"Finished." Said Gobber finally to Hiccup's relief.

At this point Hiccup's whole back stung terribly, and it was all he could do to stay sitting up when Gobber released him and began cleaning and dressing his wounds.

"You can take your clothes with you, but you can't wear them on the way out of the village. Pants and boots only. I'll put what you took off into your basket for you."

Hiccup nodded slowly, his mind clouded by the pain.

Gobber slapped him lightly on the cheek. "Wake yourself up." He said. "You'll be having to saddle and fly your dragon soon. I can't have you hanging around here until you feel better. Sorry, but rules are rules."

"I understand." Muttered Hiccup, and he got up, his mind blank as he tried not to stumble. He had viking blood. He could handle this. He took the basket once Gobber had put his clothes in it, and slung it over his shoulder, ignoring the pain the best he could as they went back to the arena, where Gobber promised Toothless would be waiting.

Toothless was sitting in the middle of the arena, bleeding from the shoulder.

Hiccup turned to Gobber, distressed. "I thought you weren't going to hurt him."

"I didn't. The promise was to let you leave with him, and spare his life. His wound must be Stoick's doing."

Hiccup walked up to Toothless, looking at the Viking helmet and mace carved into the dragon's skin. He hugged Toothless. "We'll get through this, bud." He said softly.

Putting on Toothless's saddle was pure torture, but Hiccup was determined to push through it. All the while Toothless warbled in concern and stared at Hiccup with sad green eyes.

"It's alright, Toothless." Said Hiccup, out of breath as he finished. "I did it."

He rubbed Toothless neck, before hooking the basket to Toothless's saddle, carefully slipping on his own harness, and mounting the black dragon, making sure he was securely hooked into the saddle before riding Toothless out of the arena and taking off. Toothless noticed how out of it Hiccup was, and did the flying himself, gently nudging Hiccup to work the foot pedal, and speeding away from the place they could never again call home.