It was a possibility. He should have learned from his earlier bouts of running into trouble, but the time taken to reflect upon those moments were brief.

Out of habit, he flinched at her tone, slumping again after it dissipated.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said, dry tones slipping in without faltering. "A stick can't survive unless it acts like a stick. And I doubt that would do any good out in the dark."

Hiccup tilted his head back to glance at the girl at a weird angle, almost upside-down. "Well," he added, with a faint smirk, "Most likely. Since it's you."