It hadn’t seemed like there was any other dragon riders until recently but maybe they had just never seen them before. The small army had been spotted closing in on Berk long before it reached shore and as such they were properly prepared when the enemy descended upon their land. Hiccup had instantly recognized the restraints upon these foreign dragons but learned from years past that calling out among fighting Vikings would only be words tossed to the wind. With a battle on hand they would be seeing only the red of their enemy. Blood baths were what the people of Berk excelled in (along with, recently, riding dragons) and he was partially ashamed to play part in it knowing that the dragons on this opposing side were most likely unwilling participants. As soon as the enemy had been disabled and efforts became a different kind of collective with clean up on the horizon- he managed to get a word in. It was their intention to look for survivors but more than the enemy to question he wanted them to seek out the dragons. They deserved a second chance- some had flown away to freedom but there were others that were unable. Ones to far gone and others that just needed to heal.

It was the second group that his tribe was flustered about. The most sensible thing he got in being called over was ‘hurry’, maybe he was just to distracted to hear the rest. 

Toothless touched down with a soft thump upon hard ground, just beyond the circle of people and he slid from his back. “Stop!” He ordered quick and then slowed both his steps and the haste of his words. “Just… back away.” It was obvious that a downed dragon wouldn’t be going anywhere fast and the obstruction of them on its back was causing more distress than good. Only when the other Vikings had eased gradually, “slowly” cautiously off, could he really get a look at the dragon and the breath momentarily caught in his throat. She looked like Toothless. 

His dragon bumped his nose into his back and he pushed backwards against Toothless’ snout with a mumbled “wait”. With a displeased shuffle Toothless sat as Hiccup took another slow step forward, showing he was unarmed. “It’s okay.” He assured, “I’m not gonna hurt you.”