Hiccup was only 5, but he always knew he was different from the other kids in the village. Unlike his cousin Snotlout, he didn’t want to fight. Unlike Fishlegs, he didn’t want to learn about dragons in books. He liked to explore, to hear stories from his dad, to see the world himself. That often led to him exploring the forests, the safer parts that is.

Hiccup walked around aimlessly, carrying his small stuffed Natter his mother made, watching some birds fly around as he walked. He had gotten so lost in thought he didn’t realize how far he had walked until he realized he had no clue where he was, and for a 5 year old that’s a terrifying thing.

He’d turned back, walking for probably 7-8 minutes before he stopped after he heard a bush rustle. Again, being 5 meant he wasn’t always the smartest kid, so he walked towards the noise. Moving the bushes, he saw a dragons tail whip around a tree, and decided to follow it. He didn’t even notice the human footprints where the dragons tail had been.