"And that's the last one" Gobber said handing Forde his saddle.
They met up at his forge as they helped to create their own saddles from scratch except for Rune who worked with Hiccup in making some minor tweaks to an old saddle he had in store. With Sandstorm having almost the same physique as Toothless, that would be the easier route.
"Now guys, it would be weird at first, not just for you but your dragon, It's going to take some getting used to but after a while, both of you will get used to the saddle" Valka said. "For some it might take days and others a week or too but you will eventually get the hang of it. Each dragon has different needs and different personalities, no two dragons are the same. Though they might be the same species and color, but their personalities will tell them apart"
"And that brings us to today's assignment, find out any special personality trait that sets your dragon apart from the rest" Hiccup said.
"When are we going to get to the action parts?" Thyra said with a sigh.
"Soon enough but establishing a bond and common dragon knowledge is key" Astrid said.
"And on that note, class is dismissed" Hiccup said.
"Yeah, can't wait to test my dragon in the sky" Forde cheered.
"Why don't we all take a group flight?" Thyra suggested.
"Except for farm boy, I think he has yak poop to shovel" Sten chuckled as he walked away with Eruptor.
Rune had a gloomy look on his face, he had been bullied in his past life, all the way through middle school and even his time in high school. He never imagined that it would continue even in his new life.
"Let's go boy" he said with a sober voice.
Sandstorm knew something was wrong seeing Rune hold his head down so he gently rubbed his head against his side.
"Hey Rune" Hiccup called.
"Yes Hiccup?" he answered trying to hide his mood from him.
"I was wondering if you could come by sometime after training for some experiments with your dragon. It isn't compulsory that you have to come everyday, just when you're free"
"No problem Hiccup" he said turning to get away.
"Don't let it bother you"
Rune turned surprised at his words.
"I've been there before but don't worry it'll die down. You just have to keep on believing in yourself and things will be okay" Hiccup said giving him words of wisdom.
Rune nodded and went on his way.
Rune laid on his bed his bed lost it thought as he gently pet Sandstorm's head who had it placed on his bed. He was just replaying the day's events in his mind when a gentle knock on the door broke his chain of thought.
"Come in" he said.
Gently Wout came in not wanting to disturb him. "Hey Rune, how was today?" he asked cautiously.
"Today was okay" he said avoiding eye contact.
"You know you can tell me anything"
"It's okay dad. I'm fine" he insisted.
"Okay, anytime you're ready, just know I'll be there for you"
And he left the room. Rune laid back on his bed reliving his moments of name calling by Sten, he never told his former parents about his bullying issue and wasn't open about telling his new parents either. Sandstrom gave a gentle coo grabbing Rune's attention.
"You'll always have my back, right boy?"
Sandstorm gave a light grumble.
"I'll take that as a yes"
Then his eyes wondered to the floor and he remembered how uncomfortable Sandstorm had been in the morning and thought of a plan.
"Come on boy, I have a plan" Rune said rushing out of his bed.
Sandstorm tilted his head puzzled by his words but followed nonetheless. Rune got to work in the barn taking a quick measurement of Sandstorm then writing them down. They were old planks of wood pilled up in the back and he began to drag some of them out, Sandstorm was still trying to make out what he was doing so he sat on his hunches and placed his front paws on his knees and watched Rune hard at work with his gaze following him everywhere he went. Then Rune stopped and then held his chin thinking of something again, then he began to carry the planks to his house.
Diana was feeding the chickens when she saw Rune accompanied by his dragon walking towards the house with planks of wood.
"What is that for?" she asked.
"It's for Sandstorm. Don't worry, I won't wreck anything in the house" he assured.
"I hope so"
Rune got the planks into his room as well as some nails and began to hammer them in with the banging noise getting the attention of his parents who wondered what on Earth he was doing.
"Is everything okay in there son?" Wout asked.
"It's okay dad" he answered as he paused his hammering temporarily.
"May I ask what you're building?"
"Oh, it's just a bed from Sandstorm. I saw how uncomfortable he was sleeping on the floor so I decided to make this"
"Oh, that's very thoughtful of you"
"Thanks dad"
"Oh well, good luck with your endeavor" Wout said as Rune continued hammering.
In fifteen minutes, he had hammered together a rectangular frame and Sandstorm still had no idea what he was up to.
"Time to fill it up" Rune said.
Sandstorm followed him as he raced down the stairs and got two buckets lying in front of the house. There was a lake not to far from there and that was where he was going to. He to the river bank and began to scoop the fine sand on the bank and hauled it back to his room and poured it in the frame until it was full. Sandstorm looked at his creation confused while Rune had a proud look on his face as a had a feeling of accomplishment. Sandstorm sniffed around it curiously trying to figure out what is was then looked at Rune and cooed at him as if to say "what is this?".
"Wondering what it is? Well it's your bed" Ruen said.
Sandstorm looked at the box full of sand and then back at him.
"Go on, lay down on it, tell me if it's okay" Rune urged him as he used his hands to tell him to go.
Sandstorm walked on to the bed and felt through the sand with his paws before laying down comfortably on it as he snuggled in.
"I guess you like it don't you?" Rune said cheerfully.
Sand storm ran to him and licked his face with joy.
"I know, I know, you're welcome" he answered as he managed to push Sandstorm back. "Now, apart from a sand bed, what else do you like?" he asked his dragon.
Sandstorm looked at him tilting his head trying to understand what he was saying.
"How do I say it that you would understand" Rune wondered. Then an idea hit him.
He pointed to Sandstorm then held his hand out in front of him and motioned it to his mouth and pretended to eat it and they rubbed his belly and then had a wide smile on his face. Then repeated the motion again this time saying, "What....do you.....like...…to....eat...." he stressed his words.
Sandstrom tilted his head the other way and grumbled with the message not coming across smoothly.
"This is hopeless" Rune said burying his head in his pillow.
"Rune, could you help me go buy some crab from the fish market?!" his mother said from downstairs.
"Okay" he replied with his head still buried in his pillow.
Rune went with Sandstorm to the fish market where the scent of all types of fish hit his nostrils, it was like fish heaven to him.
"Behave yourself Sandstorm, I don't want you taking what someone else's fish and I will have to pay for it" Rune warned.
Sandstorm got the message loud and clear not leaving his side and restrained himself tasting any of the fish he saw on display. When they finally got to the crab stall, his mouth dropped as his tongue rolled out and he began to salivate.
"Afternoon Alfie" Rune greeted.
"Afternoon Rune" Alfie answered.
Alfie was stocky in stature with a long blonde braided beard, he wore a helmet with no horns and wore a green apron on top of his attire.
"It would be the usual" Rune said.
Alfie began to get the crabs into a bag when he noticed Sandstorm's heavy breathing. "Is everything okay with your dragon?" he asked curiously.
Rune turned and saw his dragon in a state of trans and was alarmed. "Is everything okay Sandstorm?" Rune asked placing his hand on his head.
Sandstorm looked at him then back at the crabs. "What's the matter?" he said looking where his gaze was. "Why is he looking at the crabs like that?" he wondered.
Then it hit, he likes crabs. "Oh I get it, you like the crabs" he said as Sandstorm nodded in agreement.
"Hey Alfie, mind if I have one?" he asked.
"Sure, why not"
"Thanks Alfie"
He held the crab out in front of Sandstorm whose attention was fully on the crab. "Is this what you want?" he asked with a playful voice.
Sandstorm nodded with his tongue sticking out. "Is this what you want?" Sandstorm nodded again.
"Well, here you go" he said throwing it at him.
Sandstorm opened his jaws and then they snapped shut loud and hard gaining Rune and Alfie's attention.
"I would hate to get bitten by a dragon with those type of jaws" Alfie said seeing Sandstorm take a crab down with no trouble at all.
"Me too" Rune said collecting the bag of crabs and paying Alfie.
"I put in extra for the crab"
"No worries my boy"
"Alright Sandstorm, let's go" He said to his dragon as they left the market. "Bye Alfie"
"Bye Rune. Come back soon"
"Guess I know your your little treat now"