Today was my birthday. My eighth birthday, to be exact. I was sitting at one of the tables in the Great Hall, whittling, trying to carve an axe out of wood. I was especially fond of axes.

"Astrid!"

Oh yeah, and Hiccup was standing next to me, shaking me, trying to get my attention. I was ignoring him, though. I was working! Couldn't he see that?

"Astrid!" Hiccup groaned. "I have something to show you!"

"Not now, Hiccup," I said, my eyes and mind focused on my whittling. "I'm busy."

"No you're not!" Hiccup shot back. I looked at him just for a moment before returning to my work.

"Yes I am," I said.

"Not!"

"Am!"

"Not!"

"Am!"

"Well, you're not too busy to argue with me!" Hiccup said. I groaned. He may have been eight - a few months older than me - but he was sharp. "Come on! You have to come see it!"

"I'll do it later!" I said. "Go do something useful."

Hiccup walked off, and for a minute, I was sure I had gotten rid of him, when he returned a moment later.

"Are you busy now?" he asked.

"Hiccccccuuuuppp," I moaned.

"Astrrrrriiiiiiiidddd," he said back in the same tone of voice I used. Now he was just being difficult.

"I'll tell you when I'm not busy!" I said. "Now go on! Go do something else! Doesn't Gobber need you at the forge?"

"Nooooooooo," Hiccup moaned. "You have to come see it, Astrid."

"See what?" I asked.

"It's a secret," Hiccup replied.

"Then I don't wanna see it," I said simply.

"ASTRID!" Hiccup said as if he had been slapped. "You have to come and see it! You'll like it! I promise!"

"Later, Hiccup," I said. I was getting angry with both him and the fact that I couldn't even carve something as simple as an axe out of wood. It was making me extremely mad.

Hiccup left yet again, and I was sure that this time, he wouldn't come back, but he was persistent. He came back, crouched down, and poked my arm. I sighed, and looked at him. He had drawn two eyes on his hand, so now it looked remarkably weird and hilarious both at the same time.

"Astrid," Hiccup said, making his hand "speak" at the same time as he did. "Come now."

"You have to be patient," I said. In honesty, Hiccup annoyed me constantly. He was always trying to get me to do something with him, and of course, I always declined, but now, he was even more persistent than ever.

"But I don't wanna!" Hiccup said. "Patience is boring! You gotta come now!"

I grunted in annoyance, and then stood up. There was no getting rid of him until I finally saw what it was he wanted me to see. So, I faced him, crossing my arms angrily as my glare hardened.

Hiccup, on the other hand, wasn't fazed. He grabbed my wrist and bolted into a run, dragging me along with him. I had to run to keep up with him. He stopped in front of the forge, letting go of my arm.

"Now you have to close your eyes," Hiccup said.

"I hate surprises," I grumbled. I was still glaring at him.

"But you'll like this one," Hiccup promised. "Close your eyes before I blindfold you."

I sighed, and then did as he had asked.

"Hold out your hands," Hiccup said.

I did as I was told. A moment later, I tightened my hands around what felt like a wooden handle. One side was heavier than the other.

"You can open your eyes," Hiccup said.

I did, and then gasped. It was an axe. A brand new, glimmering, small-enough-for-an-eight-year-old axe.

I suddenly felt guilty for being so snarky with him. "Wow, Hiccup," I said, truly in awe with the weapon. "This is…"

"Do you like it?" Hiccup asked.

"It's amazing," I said. "I love it, Hiccup."

"See?" Hiccup said. "I told you you would like it!"

"Where'd you get it?" I asked. The blade was light enough for me to hold with ease. I was genuinely surprised.

"I made it," Hiccup said. "Gobber taught me how."

"It's great, Hiccup," I said. "Thanks."

He smiled back. One of his front teeth were missing, and I couldn't help but grin.

...

That was eight years ago exactly from today.

I'm sitting alone (well, alone besides Stormfly) at the edge of a cliff, my legs dangling over the side of it. It's dark, and not only that, but it's snowing, just slightly. In the patches where there are no clouds I can see the deep black sky and sparkling stars.

It takes my breath away.

I'm sharpening my axe; the same axe Hiccup made for me those years ago, back when we were little. The blade still cuts as if it were brand new. I've outgrown it a bit, since it was made by and for an eight year old, but I don't get a new one. This one has sentimental value.

People have been telling me "Happy birthday" all day, and after a while, I guess it kind of gets annoying. So, that brings me to the reason why I am in the forest, away from the village.

I'm aware of footsteps, but I don't turn to see who it is. I already know. The uneven footsteps five it away.

"Good evening, Hiccup," I say.

"Right back at you," he replies. "Mind if I join you?"

In response, I scoot over and motion to the spot beside me. Hiccup sits, crossing his legs. Snowflakes dot his auburn hair, and his emerald eyes are almost piercing in the darkness.

"So, milady," he says, "what are you doing?"

I can't help but smile at the nickname. Ever since Hiccup got annoyed with me always calling him "Dragon Boy" he's come up with a nickname for me as well as payback. In secret, I like the nickname.

"I could ask you the same question," I say.

Hiccup shrugs. "I was bored," he says. "You?"

"Same, I guess," I say. I hold my axe up to examine its newly sharpened blade. "Do you remember giving this to me?" I ask.

Hiccup nods. "Of course," he says. "You were wearing two braids instead of one."

"And you had two feet instead of one," I say.

"Ah, how things have changed," Hiccup says. "And the leg thing? Seriously?"

I shrug. "Sorry."

"Nah, don't apologize," Hiccup says. "I was just joking."

"I could have guessed that," I say.

Hiccup sighs. "Yep," he says.

"Yep," I agree. "You know, you were the most persistent and annoying eight year old I ever knew."

"You got that right," Hiccup says. "Now I'm the most persistent and annoying sixteen-year-old you know."

"You know I was just joking," I say.

"Of course I do," Hiccup says. "But I'm not going to deny the fact that you're right."

I nod, and watch as Hiccup does the same, turning his gaze back to the sky. Another instant later, he mutters, "Oh" and reaches into his pocket. I can't see what he's grabbing. Whatever it is, he has it balled in his fist.

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's a surprise," he answers.

"I hate surprises," I say.

"I know you do," Hiccup says, "because you only tell me every time you have a birthday."

I huff.

"I was meaning to give this to you earlier," he says, holding his hand out. I place my open palm underneath it, "but you know, it was kind of hectic, and everything."

"Yeah, I know," I say.

Hiccup drops the object into my hand, and I pick it up.

It's a necklace. The chain is leather with blue beads tied into it here and there. Blue. My favorite color. The charm itself is what looks like an exact replica of my axe, only a much smaller version.

I stare at it.

"I don't know," Hiccup shrugs. "You don't have to like it."

"I love it, Hiccup," I say. "What are you talking about?"

"Well," Hiccup says, "you know what they say."

"No, I don't, actually," I respond.

"Yeah, me neither," he says. "So, I'm just going to settle for Happy Birthday, Astrid."

I smile back at him. "You know I hate surprises," I say, "but I think I like a few of them."

"Good," Hiccup says. "You like the necklace, then?"

"It's amazing, Hiccup," I say. "Thank you."

Hiccup smiles back. I grin.

Some things just never change.

Author's Notes:

RACE TO THE EDGE IS GOING TO BE OUT JUNE 26th AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH I AM SSSSOOOOOOO EXCITED! :D :D :D I have a question. Do you guys like the what-ifs I do for "Riders of Berk" and "Defenders of Berk" episodes? Just curious, because after I see Race to the Edge episodes (I'll probably end up watching all of then in like, three days, haha :D), I'll probably end up getting tons of ideas for new fanfictions. So, yeah. Tell me what you think.

AND DID YOU GUYS SEE THE NEW CLIP WITH THE SNOW WRAITH!? AAAAMMMAAAZZZIIINNNGGG! I've seen both the clips AND OMGOSH THEY ARE AWESOME! :D Okay, okay, I'm going to stop rambling now. XD.

Until next story! :)

-BeyondTheClouds777