Well, guys, this is the end of "Through the Eyes of A Striker". I'm sorry if I won't be doing Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon, Book of Dragons or Gift of the Night Furies. But I want to finish my other fan fiction stories before I start second semester in first year college.

Also, I've admittedly gotten into the Harry Potter fandom in waiting for new episodes of Race to the Edge to come out so my HTTYD passion has cooled somewhat.

But, don't worry. I'm still a dragonite at heart. I'm even going to start writing a Snoggletog special after I post this and I will post it on Christmas Day.

But, to all those who followed Stryka's story, thank you so much!

NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD

Chapter 24: A New Age

The next day, I woke up to find the snow melting and new grass springing up. Careful so as not to disturb my sleeping youngling, I crept out of the room and down the stairs and, gently, pushed the door open. Outside, birds were chirping and there was new life all around. 'It's spring! Yay!' I thought giddily and rolled around in the fresh green grass. Zenna came outside a short while later while I was sniffing these pretty yellow flowers Henna called daffodils.

"Spring is on its way, Stryka." She announced as she stroked my head. "Judging by the newly-bloomed flowers, Zen, I think it has already arrived," I purred as I continued to smell the daffodils and moved onto the lavender plants. Oh, if only Hiccup were awake, all four of us can go savor the sights of the spring season!

"Let's pick some flowers and give them to Hiccup." Zenna suggested. I nodded eagerly. "An excellent idea, youngling! And I know just what flowers to give him," I warbled and trotted over to a nearby bush. It was covered with gorgeous little pink flowers that had a very pleasant sweet fragrance. Grasping it as gently as I could by the little bit of trunk, I yanked it out! Roots and all so Hiccup can plant it near his house, too, if he wanted.

Zenna merely blinked and stared at the gaping hole in the earth while I held the bush in my mouth. "How am I going to replace that…?" she muttered, shaking her head.

Later on, I would find out that the bush I had picked out for Hiccup turned out to be one of Henna's prized plants when I heard her scold Zenna while I was having lunch.

When we got to Hiccup's place, it turns out we weren't the only ones who had plans to visit him. Before Zenna could even open the door, somebody flung it open from inside the house and smacked Zenna in the face with it! Zenna yelped while I let out a muffled (muffled because I had a mouth full of bush) growl as Hookfang's Rider came running out of the house and took off to Thor knows where, shouting something I couldn't quite make out.

"Damn you, Snotlout! What was that for?!" Zenna yelled angrily, looking ready to pursue him, until both of us heard what he was shouting about.

"Hiccup's waking up! He's waking up!"

"What? Hiccup?" I dropped the bush in shock and, with a wide-eyed Zenna, rushed inside. To my amazement Hiccup was moving around his bed, whimpering quietly, while Toothless watched. My mate was trembling all over, tears welling up in his beautiful green orbs, as I went over to him. "Toothless…" I whispered as he faced me. "He's waking up…He's finally waking up…Thank Odin, he's waking up…" Toothless murmured, crying out tears of joy, as I nuzzled him.

"Hiccup…?" Zenna whispered tentatively as she approached his bedside. Hiccup turned his head towards her but his eyes remained closed. "Zenna…? Leg…hurts…" he whimpered. I saw Zenna's one violet eye fill up with tears as she whispered, "Don't worry Hiccup…It'll go away…" as she gently stroked Hiccup's pale cheek.

When Hiccup stopped stirring and fell back asleep, Zenna was already in tears. "Zenna, are you all right?" I crooned to her softly. She didn't need to speak dragonese to know that I was worried about her for she said, "I'm okay, girl…Just a bit choked up…Oh gods, he's finally coming back around…" and gave Hiccup's small hand a squeeze.

I could tell that my Rider needed some time to clear her head so I nudged her towards the door. "Let's go for a flight, Zen. That'll help you clear your mind," I suggested and turned to Toothless. He smiled at Zenna and I and took his position by Hiccup's bed. "I'll watch over him. I'm pretty sure Snotlout's already gone to get Stoick so he'll need guarding," he told me. Nodding, I led Zenna out and we took the skies.

And our hearts were singing with joy. Hiccup was waking up, spring was here…and everything will, at last, be okay…

Slowly, but surely, Hiccup woke up from his three-month long coma. We celebrated the little things such as him being conscious for a minute, then two, then three, then four, then five and so on. And, while his memory took a while to fully recover, Zenna would keep him updated even when he would fall asleep only to wake up and not remember anything. Gothi, the old shaman lady and elder of Berk, reassured us that he would be fine. Zenna trusted Gothi and she had been true to her word because, one day, Hiccup woke up and he remembered everything.

Seeing Zenna and I both without right eyes, however, made him feel guilty. "I'm sorry…" he mumbled guiltily when he saw us. "There's nothing to apologize for, Hiccup. You and Toothless both lost one an appendage that helps you move, Zenna and I both lost a right eye. We're truly equals now and that's all right with me," I warbled while Zenna simply said, "You don't have to be sorry for anything." And gave him a hug, adding, "I promised I'd always have your back, remember?" and smiled at Hiccup, who eventually smiled back, before he fell asleep again.

Before leaving, Zenna leaned down and whispered something in Hiccup's ear. My highly sensitive ears pricked up when I heard it.

"I'll always have your back, Hicc. Always…"

I smiled to myself, knowing that that statement will hold true, before we left the Haddocks for another flight.

All the while, things were getting better on Berk. New dragon-friendly establishments were built and almost all of the Vikings had decided to become Dragon Riders as well. Zenna and I sure had our work cut out for us in teaching the new recruits to the Dragon Riders. Luckily, Astrid and the other Viking teens were always there to help.

Of course training during some days ended in chaos thanks to two almost miscreant Thorstons and their equally almost miscreant Hideous Zippleback. Stormfly and I were the ones usually assigned with disciplining Barf and Belch while Toothless made sure to keep an eye on Hookfang.

"For the last time, Hook', you cannot always set fire to Snotlout's butt every time he refuses to go your way. Remember, we dragons must also listen to our Riders' decisions sometimes. When their decisions are poor, that's when we take the lead," he lectured the stubborn Monstrous Nightmare for the fiftieth time one day while we watched the other Riders help Snotlout extinguish the flames on his rear. "Aw, you're not fun…" Hookfang grumbled. "Hookfang, as annoying Snotlout is, he's your Rider and you have a duty to protect him and follow him. I see you set fire to his rear again today, you're going to re-experience tussling with a Night Fury. Do I make myself clear?" I growled, having already lost most of my patience earlier while disciplining Barf and Belch, and took a threatening stance.

"Yes, m'am!" Hookfang gulped, behaving. Toothless gave me a look that clearly said, 'Teach me your disciplinarian ways, my great love!' and I rolled my eye and said, "Later." Before helping Zenna wrap up training.

Several days later, Hiccup woke up.

Zenna and I had been helping a few villagers build a dragon house when the cry of, "Hey, look! It's Hiccup!" came up. Whipping our heads in the direction of the Haddock house, Zenna and I were overjoyed to see Hiccup awake and moving about with his father.

We bounded up the hill and reached them just in time to hear Stoick say, "Turns out all we needed was a little more of…this." While gesturing to all of Hiccup. "You just gestured to all of me…" Hiccup said in amazement. "Why wouldn't he? You're the hero, after all," Zenna said, sauntering over to him to give him a big hug. Hiccup looked at Zenna, eye patch and all, and smiled. "Buddy system, remember?" Zenna asked him coyly and they slammed hands (a rather interesting term I had learned while watching them interact). Gobber then came and told Hiccup, "Well, most of you. That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flair thrown in! You think it'll do?" gesturing to his metal leg. Apart from the new saddle he had made for me, Gobber had proven himself to be quite the smithy with Hiccup's prosthetic. "I might make a few tweaks," Hiccup shrugged, making everyone chuckle.

I smiled and looked around, wondering where Toothless was, before I heard scratching sounds at the door.

"Toothless?" I rumbled. "Hey, Stryka! Hiccup's awake! But he told me to stay here for a bit. Mind if you can tell me what's happening out there?" my beloved mate's voice answered.

I gave him a rundown of the events as it happened.

"That's for scaring me."

"Okay, Astrid just came and punched Hiccup in the shoulder…"

Hiccup managed to utter, "Wh-what? Is it always going to be like this way because…" before…

"And Astrid just kissed him…Typical young love…always surprise kissing…" I told Toothless, rolling my eye even though he couldn't see me do that, while Zenna and all the other Vikings whooped, hollered, and catcalled.

"…I could get used to it," Hiccup then said, smiling at Astrid, before Gobber hobbled over with a bundle that I knew contained Toothless' new gear. "Gobber just gave him your new saddle and tail fin. You might wanna come out now!" I told Toothless. "Yipee! Let's get flying!" Toothless cheered, bursting out of the house, amidst the shouts of, "Night Fury! Get down!" and jumped on the heads of Spitelout, Snotlout's father, and some other men to get to Hiccup.

"What're we waiting for, Hiccup? The sky awaits us!" Toothless growled excitedly. Hiccup, Astrid, and Zenna just laughed.

"Ah, Astrid! And Hiccup's here! All right, this is going to be fun!" Stormfly squawked excitedly as Astrid got on her back while Zenna gleefully clambered onto my saddle. Hiccup's new prosthetic easily latched onto the special peddle on Toothless' new saddle and the tail fin, bright red with a Viking skull painted on it, easily opened. "You ready?" Hiccup asked Toothless. "I'm always ready, Hiccup!" my beloved mate chuffed excitedly. "We're ready as we can be, Hiccup! Lead the way!" Zenna cheered as we took to the skies.

Toothless and I soared together, racing after Astrid and Stormfly, and we were having the time of our lives.

"Yeah!" Hiccup hollered, pumping his fist in the air.

"Ya-hoo!" Zenna yelled in delight.

Meatlug, who had been snoozing on a bridge, woke up when we flew past her. "Ooh, hey! Wait for me!" she growled, flying after us. Soon Ruffnut and Tuffnut joined us on Barf and Belch. "A race? And you didn't invite us?" Barf hissed playfully. "To get back at that, we shall have you eat our dust!" Belch snickered in agreement. Snotlout and Hookfang then added to our flight formation. "Okay, Night Furies. Let's see if you two will still be masters of the skies after this race!" Hookfang challenged Toothless and I.

My mate and I merely looked at each other and laughed before speeding up, leaving our friends in the dust as we soared up higher into the clouds. The sun was shining brightly and so was our future.

No more evil Queen to serve, no more need for nightly raiding of human villages, and no more being alone. Toothless and I have each other and, most of all, we have Hiccup and Zenna…our younglings and best friends for life.

'So this is what freedom feels like…' Toothless and I both thought as we entered a new age – an age where we were no longer known as Destin and Erika, servants of the Red Death.

In this new age, we are Toothless and Stryka…and we are free.

Once again, thank you all!

-GuardianDragon98