Heh. [ Hiccup rubs his upper lip and sinks into a comfier slouch. They could probably find chairs but this is somehow more fitting. ] Berkians used to have this tradition — [ ~~~tradition, Merida ] — where in order to prove your worth, you had to kill a dragon. I shot down Toothless out of sheer dumb luck, more than anything, and I was going to cut out his heart and ... and give it to my father.

But I couldn't do it. He looked terrified, I was terrified, so I let him go. [ That prompts a small smile; that was the best decision he's ever made in his life. ] I'd sliced off half his tail with the netting and he couldn't fly. It seemed ... right, to find a way to help him get back in the air, after that.

And then we sort of ... [ SHRUGS. Became best ever friends!!! ] Yeah.