So after an overwhelming response (From one person) I've decided to try my hand at writing for a HTTYD AU

Prologue:

This is Berk. It’s twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees south of freezing to death. It’s located solidly on the meridian of misery.

My village, in a word, sturdy. It’s been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets, the only problems are the pests.

You see most places have mice or mosquitoes, we have, DRAGONS!

My name’s Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, great name, I know, but it’s not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name would frighten off gnomes and trolls, as if our charming viking demeanour wouldn’t do that.

But you already knew all this stuff already most likely, you read the books, you’ve seen the films, you’ve played the games, but this is quite different. This story takes place in a reality that thankfully never coalesced, because of the pathways we took. But this one sits in the wings of whatever Flightmare crossed our path, because it’s too heartbreaking to recall, one that personally I would love to pretend doesn’t exist.

This is the story about how I got disowned by my own father, and forced to realign my identity with the dragons, ending up as the dragon master known as Night Rider, along with my friends.

So sit back, and enjoy the ride

Chapter one - Abandoned

The day of the final exam for dragon training had come around, and Hiccup had been selected for the final rite of passage task, kill the Monstrous Nightmare. As soon as he was introduced to it he threw his dagger and shield down in an act of defiance, refusing to kill the dragon after the knowledge he gained, and attempted to change the villager’s minds like he did with Astrid. However the stunt did not go as planned… The dragon went berserk after Stoick slammed on the cage, and caused the Night Fury named Toothless, to rush out from the cove where he made privatised shelter, to protect his best friend. This act unfortunately saw Toothless captured by the vikings, and after this display an extremely agitated and enraged Stoick, then dragged Hiccup away to the great hall, throwing him inside to try and get some answers for this behaviour.

Stoick: “I should have known… I should have seen the signs…”

Hiccup: “Dad?…”

Stoick: “We had a deal!”

Hiccup: “I know we did, but that was before I… Oh… It’s all so messed up…”

Stoick: “So everything in the ring? A trick? A lie?”

Hiccup: “I screwed up, I-I-I-I I should have told you, before now- I… Just you… are this out on me be mad at me but please… Just don’t hurt Toothless!…”

Stoick: “The dragon? That’s what you’re worried about!? Not the people you almost killed!?”

Hiccup: “He was just protecting me! He-he’s not dangerous!”

Stoick: “They’ve killed hundreds of us!”

Hiccup: “And we’ve killed thousands of them! They defend themselves that’s all!”

Stoick: “I can’t believe it… My own son… The son of a chief… Siding with the beasts!?”

Hiccup: “For the love of Thor dad, they’re not beasts! They only raid us because they have no other choice! And if they don’t bring enough food back to the nest, they will be eaten themselves…”

Stoick: “Oh that’s all well and good then, yeah let them pick us clean, while we starve to death! Hiccup, winter is getting closer and pretty soon we’re not going to have any morsels left in the village!”

Hiccup: “So you would let a far bigger dragon, eat those creatures alive, and risk many more men and ships trying to find the nest, instead of try to understand why they’re doing it?”

Stoick: “I may as well have tossed you in the pen for this insubordination…”

Hiccup: “It’s not insubordination dad! I’m trying to warn you that if you continue the assault, no-one is going to win”

Stoick: “Spare me, I’m not falling for that and nothing you can say will stop me!”

Hiccup: “Dad please! I’m serious, you’re going to lose your life if you continue this crusade!”

He doesn’t listen and instead continues to walk to the door.

Hiccup: “No… Dad, No… For once in your life will you please just listen to me!?- Gah!”

Hiccup then exclaims as Stoick throws him to the ground.

Stoick: “You’ve thrown your lot in with them Hiccup… You’re not a Viking… You’re not my son…”

After Stoick says this, all the colour and emotion washes completely out of Hiccup’s face, as he pants breathlessly from the argument they just had. Laying on the ground of the Great Hall helplessly as he watches his ‘father’ go out and rally more of his troops to search for the dragon’s nest again. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Astrid had followed them there, and listened in from a crack in the door. A similar look of shock and horror adorning her face as Stoick walks out into the harbour, only stopping to contemplate what he just said to his son, but continues on regardless. Hiccup meanwhile stood in the inky blackness that surrounded the Great Hall, accompanied only with a slight ray of sunlight from the door being left ajar, picking up his helmet that Stoick had tossed back to the boy. With tears in his face, and a newfound rage bubbling inside him, he tossed it into the still glowing embers of the fire pit, letting it sit there to gather soot, or melt away. He then mustered the courage to exit the hall, and rushes over to the boardwalk, to see his ‘father' off, if only from a distance.

Stoick: “Set sail! We head for Helheim’s gate…”

The stocky chief would call out to his crew, as he saw a figure looking out from the boardwalk above the harbour, suspiciously like his fishbone of a son. Hiccup meanwhile looked out towards the unmoored ships, catching the wind in the sails, as they made their way west. He simply shook his head, as if pleading ‘No…’ To the militia, but knew they wouldn’t listen as they sailed further out to sea. Mere minutes pass after the last ship had escaped Hiccup’s eye-line, then Astrid comes up from behind him, also looking out to the sea.

Astrid: “It’s a mess Hiccup… You must feel horrible… You lost everything… Your father, your tribe, your best friend-”

Hiccup: “Thank you for summing that up…”

He responded with his usual sarcasm, as he began to think about his actions.

Hiccup: “Why couldn’t I have just killed that dragon when I found him in the woods?… The job had mostly been done after half of his tail came off… and it would have been better for everyone…”

Astrid: “Yep, the rest of us would have done it… So why didn’t you?”

She asked, seeing him turn his head away in shame and frustration.

Astrid: “Why didn’t you?”

Hiccup: “I don’t know… I guess I just couldn’t”

Astrid: “That’s not an answer Hiccup”

Hiccup: “Why is this so important to you all of a sudden? You didn’t even care mere months ago”

Astrid: “Because I want to remember what you say right now”

Knowing she won’t let this go, he lets out an exasperated sigh.

Hiccup: “Oh for the love of- okay look, I was a coward! I was weak! I wouldn’t kill a dragon!”

Astrid: You said ‘wouldn’t’ that time-”

Hiccup: “Oh, whatever! I wouldn’t! 300 years of this Thorforsaken island, and I’m the first viking in the history of Berk, that wouldn’t kill a dragon!”

With this outburst he simply turned away until Astrid piped up with.

Astrid: "First to ride one though”

As soon as he heard that from her, he began to remind himself of the purpose Toothless gave him, and realised his motivation for leaving the dragon alive.

Astrid: “So…?”

Hiccup: “I wouldn’t kill him, because he looked as frightened as I was… I looked at him, and I saw myself”

Astrid: “Well he’s not on those ships but I bet he’s really frightened now, so what are you going to do about it?…”

Hiccup: “I don’t know… There’s no clear answers for me, but as far as dad’s concerned I’m not his son… And according to him, I don’t have the right to be called a viking…”

Astrid: “What are you saying Hiccup?…”

Hiccup: “I’m saying that if this is what my ‘Dad’ thinks of me… And if everyone else had turned their backs on me… Then maybe I should just make it official and leave the island… Find a new home with myself and Toothless”

Astrid: “Leave home!? Hiccup, are you crazy?”

Hiccup: “Astrid, you know better than anyone that crazy is what a viking does best… And unless you have a better idea, then this is the one I’m going with…”

Feeling like a pit was forming in her stomach, the once unshakable Astrid Hofferson almost freezes in shock, before trying to reach for Hiccup’s hand.

Astrid: “No Hiccup, you can’t leave…”

Hiccup: “I have no choice… I don’t have a home here anymore anyways, no-one wants me around they just see me as useless, and even the people that didn’t turn against me after that stunt in the arena would barely look in my direction…”

She pulls her hand back, holding it to her chest before taking a deep breath and looking directly into Hiccup’s eyes.

Astrid: “Well I’m coming with you.”

Hiccup: What!? Astrid, you can’t!-”

Astrid: “I’m not letting you do this alone Hiccup, not after everything you’ve done in and out of the arena.”

Hiccup: “No Astrid, you still have a life here, responsibilities to keep the village safe, friends, family, what do I have?”

Astrid: “You still have a best friend in Toothless, and you’ll have me”

She gets closer to him and grabs his hand, attempting to stop him from running away. His face painted with surprise at this motion.

Astrid: “Hiccup, you showed me things last night that I never thought possible. You opened my eyes to the reality of dragons as more than blood thirsty killers. My entire worldview has been changed, thanks to you and Toothless. And I wouldn't ever take that back in a heartbeat, just to continue to live on an island of murder… I’m going with you, whether you like it or not.”

The surprise then turns to a smile as he realised she was being sincere, and no-one had been sincere with him before, even when he was ‘excelling’ in dragon training. He almost wanted to kiss her like she did to him the night before but held back.

Hiccup: “Who’d have thought the woman I’d have the biggest crush on would say something like this to me?… I thought you hated me… Especially with Snotlout sniffing around you like a dragon with a sheep”

Astrid: “First off, ew… Snotlout’s just an annoying bogey I can’t wipe off, and secondly, I never actually hated you Hiccup… I actually paid more attention to you as soon as you entered the academy because I wanted to keep an eye on you to make sure you weren’t being tortured by Snotlout or the twins”

Hiccup: “Even though you tried to break my wrist and looked at me with a scowl?…”

Astrid: “That was my jealousy getting the better of me… I actually thought you were one of the better ones…”

Hiccup: “You really think so Astrid?..”

Astrid: “I know so, I wouldn’t be saying this otherwise…”

She replied flashing him a grin, seeing him smile back with a few tears.

Hiccup: “Th-thank you Astrid…”

Astrid: “Come here Hiccup”

She then pulls him into a tight hug, the scrawny young boy in him showing surprisingly more depth than she ever thought possible. He instantly returned it hiding his face into her shoulder with a few light sobs and breaths before he lifted his face up regaining his composure.

Hiccup: “Alright Astrid, you can come along with me”

As he says this she pulls him back in, this time for a deep kiss on the lips, which he gleefully returns. Blushing red as they part, and exchanging a slight chuckle.

Hiccup: “But first, you’ll need your own dragon, as we may not be able to share Toothless a lot of the time, and I’m the only one who know’s how his prosthetic fin works. So gather some supplies from your house and meet me at the arena, I’ll help you pick out a dragon that I think would be right for you, and then we can go.”

Astrid: “Got it.”

Hiccup: “Okay, I’ll see you there soon!”

He calls out to her with a wave as he rushes home to get some camping materials, a water skin, his journals, a wood cutting axe and a supply of rations. Astrid makes the same checklist of items before carrying them to the arena, the both of them counting their blessing that almost the entire village had gone out in search of the dragon’s nest.