in his saddle with his usual cocky grin. "I'd be pretty good at that job, won't I?"

Once again Hookfang ignored the comment and began heading towards the sea stacks that peppered the waters around Berk. Snotlout made up his mind; no matter how busy Hiccup was today, he would make the chief listen. It was time to make his dad proud. Just as he was having these thoughts, he heard even from this distance from the island a short round of applause. He glanced over to see the flitting shape of Toothless and Hiccup descending towards Berk, returning from some sort of business of likely importance. Snotlout rolled his eyes. It wasn't unusual for his entrances to be met with clapping and cheering. Sometimes he thought that Hiccupcould sneeze and the people of Berk would fall all over themselves in admiration.

They flew for almost an hour until Hookfang got his pent up energy out darting through the sea stacks and dunking his head in the water to snap at fish, and they glided down to Berk towards the great hall (to no applause, Snotlout noted) for a bite to eat. The hall was emptier than usual, as most of Berk woke at a normal time. There was almost always some sort of communal food being made, and Snotlout helped himself to some as Hookfang buried his head in a basket filled to the brim with tuna and mackerel. The young Viking inhaled his food quickly and had two more servings. He ate like a man