Crevice

Cover Drawing for Httyd Fanfiiction 'Crevice' - [link]



Excerpt: "The black wings curve around them, forming a dark canopy of membrane that blocks out the freezing snowy winds.

"Toothless?" Stoick calls up in wonder, and receives only a smug, rumbling purr as response. The dragon was sheltering them from the storm. "Thank you." Stoick whispers into the beast's chest. "Thanks Toothless."

Because this might just save their lives.

It's then that Stoick's shaking knees give out and he sinks down onto the hard rock floor, Hiccup a precious bundle on his lap. The floor is cold, but not too cold, and the over-exerted puff of Stoick's exhausted breath warms the little cavern of wings.

Carefully, oh so carefully, he lays Hiccup down, gently moving Hiccup's limbs so that he's lying flat, with the cloak tucked under him and his head resting on Stoick's knee, and he quickly tries to assess the boy's condition.

There's not enough light to see properly by and Stoick groans, it's just going from one problem to the next today. It's only the feeling of a thick, fat tear freezing itself to his cheek in an icy droplet is what alerts Stoick to the fact he's crying.

Odin above. Crying.

He hasn't cried since the day Val went off questing and he was left all alone with little Hiccup-the-handful screaming in his crib.

Oh Hiccup.

Stoick carefully brushes the soft, fine hairs that haven't been matted together with blood, from off the boy's forehead. Marvelling at how delicate and fine they feel to his numb, clumsy fingers. Hiccup's eyes don't move restlessly under their lids like they do when he's dreaming, and his breathing is too shallow, too weak to be anything like healthy.

He's not going to last much longer.The tears of frustration threaten to gather in the corners of his eyes again and he shakes himself angrily. What's wrong with him today? Honestly. Crying all over the place. Stoick tightens his jaw and frowns at himself. Right now, he needs to be strong. For Hiccup; His son needs him.

Stoick gently smoothes the boy's hair back again and takes a deep breath. He might have imagined it, but did Hiccup just turn his face into his palm? Only slightly, and perhaps totally involuntary, but he'd moved. A moment later Stoick dismisses it as his imagination.

The boy's still out cold.

"Anything we can do about the light?" Stoick calls up to the dragon. Because he can barely see anything in this unforgiving darkness.

Toothless huffs above them and shifts on his hind paws. There's a whooshing noise and a bright flash of light and a little purple fire is suddenly burning before them, providing light and warmth as the tent of wings closes above them once more, leaving them safe and secure in their own little shelter.

The world within Toothless's wings is now awash with purple light, like everything's been washed out with violet cloth dye, and Stoick looks down at his son, his little boy; so still and cold in the protective cradle of his lap.

"Oh Hiccup." The large Viking breathes at the sight of the small, crumpled form.
Hiccup..."