The girl looked tired and worn, pieces of her flaxen hair dancing with the northern wind as she frowned at the cave opening.

"I can't believe you faked your own death - let us believe you died a hero when you never really changed at all. It's just a game to you. Heather, your redemption - all of it!" Her voice was curt and cold, not that Dagur would expect anything different from the young Hofferson girl. She had never liked him. Not that he given her reason to.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, Blondie. But I just saved your life, didn't I?" he huffed. "I was actually trying to do the right thing."

"Yeah well leading your sister to believe you are dead is wrong!"

"I know! Don't you think I know that?!" he exclaimed and then upon seeing her shrink back at his tone, he sighed. "Sorry."

Astrid nodded, looking away. Her sides were still aching from the fall and she couldn't move on her own even if she tried to. She just hoped Hiccup would come and get her soon.

"I had no choice," she heard Dagur whisper. "I don't know what do anymore. I used to be Dagur the Deranged but look at me now? Hiding away from my own. I wanted my little sister to remember me as a hero. Not as her worst enemy."

"You killed her father and her entire family!"

"No. That's a lie. That's not how it happened. But it really doesn't matter now. It's not as if you would believe me even if I told you the truth."

Astrid groaned, letting her head fall back against the stone wall.

There was an eerie moment of silence. She could see Dagur still watching her but turned her head away.

-c-

When morning approached, she could feel herself shivering until someone draped a blanket over her body.

"Thanks," she muttered, lifting herself half way up to sit. The pain in her limbs still lingering.

"How is your leg?"

She looked up at her former enemy in surprise.

"Fine," she mumbled. "Why do you care?"

"You are my sister's friend, aren't you?" he didn't meet her eye.

It seemed like a plausible explanation if he really had changed as he claimed.

Dagur prepared them breakfast which Astrid eyed with suspicion. Dagur rolled his eyes. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already," he muttered.

"You say it as if you haven't been trying for the last couple of years."

He met her gaze then and they both crackled.

Dagur had never heard Astrid Hofferson laugh before. It was a surprisingly pleasant sound.

As he looked at her now, he thought back to the days of when he used to visit Berk with his father Oswald. He remembered pretending to dunk Hiccup under the water and the furious little Hofferson girl coming to her future Chief's rescue. She used to be so short but still quite intimidating with her wee axe. It seemed that Astrid's protectiveness over Hiccup had grown stronger since.

"Your food is burning."

Dagur snapped out of his musings and yelped. "Well there goes our breakfast. How about some fresh salmon out of the stream?"

"You know I can't walk."

Dagur paused.

"How about I carry you?"

Astrid huffed. "No! Absolutely not."

-c-

Dagur carried Astrid down to the lake while Astrid shifted uncomfortably in his arms. She wasn't used to being carried and especially not by someone who used to be her enemy and was currently faking his own death.

Dagur stared down at her intently which made her even more anxious.

"You know, I often wondered what made my brother so taken with you. I think I'm starting to get the idea."

Astrid sighed. "Put me down here."

Dagur complied, his strong, muscly arms still helping her stand up-raised.

"Careful," he mumbled.

Astrid took a step or two before sinking down on the grass below.

Dagur watched her for a moment before joining her.

-c-

By the time it was dark, they were back in the cave.

Astrid could feel her leg starting to heal but it was still difficult for her to walk around.

"He should have been here by now," Astrid whispered to herself, starting to lose hope that Hiccup was coming for her at all.