Am I dead? Is this what dying feels like?

I didn't feel very different than earlier. I was still cold. Everything was still dark. I tried to move slightly, but my right knee quickly found a wall that yielded slightly.

I had heard that scavenging animals usually remove the eyeballs of a dead carcass early on. I wondered if that had happened to me and I miraculously woke up blind, before those animals could kill me.

From near my head came a plume of steam that had a fishy smell to it. I reflexively looked up and found most of the sky and trees above me were blocked by a solid object. But there was an occasional glint of white peeking through some covering. I reached up to touch it and felt a leathery texture.

I wasn't blind.

I returned my gaze to the so-called wall in front of me just as another steam plume met my face. It was vibrating somewhat forcefully, starting and stopping about every two seconds or so.

I tried to connect everything, the wall, the steam plumes and whatever was blocking the way up. Oh, and the vibrations.

It had to be a living creature. I looked at where the steam plumes were hitting me in the face and saw two yellow-green eyes staring back at me.

Toothless.

He had found me after I passed out from the cold and was protecting me. He was shivering to keep warm – no, he had an internal heat source. He was shivering to keep me warm.

I didn't say a word or reach out to him because I was still afraid this was all some kind of cruel hallucination, taunting me before I succumbed to the cold. But as I kept looking into his eyes, the more I felt he was real.

I slowly reached up to his face with my left hand and brushed his snout. His breath surrounded my hand, warming it. Toothless murmured, responding to my touch.

I had no idea dragons could show the same emotions as people. Deep down inside, I thought Toothless was protecting me all this time because of something I was doing for him, like he was repaying a favor. Never in a million years would I have guessed Toothless came back because he loved me.

I stroked Toothless on his cheek. He murmured again and pushed into my hand. I felt him wrap his body a little more around me as he reached his right front leg over my side.

Toothless pulled me against his chest and rumbled. He sighed as he rested his chin on top of my hair.

He moaned plaintively, holding onto me like his life depended on it.

For a brief moment, time felt like it stopped. The world faded from existence as Toothless held onto me, making sure I was warm and safe.

"I love you too, bud," I whispered.

At least half of Berk was petrified, but I didn't care. I was supposed to be Chief, but that could wait. For now, nothing else mattered at all. Toothless still had plenty of magic left.

I thought back to all the times Toothless let me hold onto him when I felt scared or alone. Now, everything was reversed. Toothless was holding me because I could bring him comfort, or because he was scared, or because he was apologizing, or just because. Whatever the reason, I knew I had to be his emotional support and stay with him. He needed to know that I wasn't going to leave him.

With tears in my eyes, I reached toward the side of his neck and stroked gently. I quickly doubted whether I could be Toothless' emotional support, but I knew I could be there for him.

"Just don't let go, Toothless," I whispered to him.

I wasn't sure if there was anything more comforting than a dragon hug.

A tear slid down my face, but I didn't do anything about it. I took a deep breath and pulled a little closer to Toothless' chest. He didn't move or respond. But that was okay, because I heard and felt his heart beating in a steady rhythm. I felt his chest slowly rising and falling. He was protecting me.

I closed my eyes and relaxed, secure in the knowledge that Toothless was going to be just fine. He was never going to be just another dragon.