Casualties
War raged across the whole Archipelago, but worst was it on Berk. Here, two Alphas of two species fought with all their might against a common enemy.
Drago had returned with an even stronger armada, and everywhere warriors and dragons fell like flies. It was a grim sight to behold. Memorable friends and allies laid strewn on Berk's mountains and hills. Warrior Snotlout died heroically, saving his pregnant wife. Ruffnut was hit from Barf's back and fell into a gorge. Fishlegs was crushed at the loss of his fiancée, but kept fighting bravely in her honour.
Chief Hiccup had kept a secret eye on his wife of two years through it all. He had promised not to be overprotective. She knew how to handle herself in situations like this. But… He couldn't help himself. She was three months pregnant at the time, and was just starting to show. He was worried for not only her, but also the baby. Their future was within such a close range, he couldn't bear to see it wither.
"Hiccup, behind you!" Tuffnut, who now had to ride Barf and Belch alone, tried to cover Hiccup's back from behind as a bola was slinging towards him. He brought Toothless to a madding halt, only to climb the air upwards where any ground thrown weaponry couldn't reach him.
"Thanks Tuff! You seen Astrid anywhere?" He shouts, shielding his head from a nearby explosion.
"Yeah, I think she's somewhere around the sheep herds. Why?" He asked, steering around a canon attack.
"Oh, nothing!" Hiccup shouted, turning Toothless around. "I just don't want to leave her out of my sight…" It was a subtle mumble he barely could hear himself over the endless war cries and dragons shrieking in the background.
The sheep herds was not long from where Hiccup currently was, so hopefully nothing drastic would happen until he got there. He hoped. Astrid was a tough woman; she could take care of herself. He knew she could.
"Just a little while longer, please." He mumbled under his breath, hoping the gods would hear his desperate plea of safety for his wife and unborn child.
At the sheep herds, a graceful Deadly Nadder flew through the air with such precision, she managed to dodge every attack, either air born or thrown from ground. On top the Deadly Nadder a just as graceful young woman sat, knees tightly against the dragon's shoulder blades for balance. Around her hip she had a quiver filled to the brim with poisoned arrows, and in her hand she the bow, ready to load. Just behind her within reach, she had her trustworthy battle axe, if anything should become really nasty.
"You're doing great, Stormfly. We're almost done. Just a few more arrows to fire…" She whispered, as she leaned in against the giant's beautiful crown. The dragon squawked in return, suddenly hit by a boost of adrenaline.
From behind a rock formation, Hiccup emerged on the back of his stealthy Night Fury, very observant of Astrid's every move. He, of course, was very careful not to be seen or hit himself. He managed to make a single eye contact with his wife and they smiled at each other.
But…
But it never really goes as you hope in a war. A squad of Drago's men came from behind Hiccup, taking him by surprise.
"Hiccup! Look out!" Astrid's warm face was switched to horror, as she realized that even Hiccup and Toothless couldn't dodge such an attack. She double loaded her bow, aiming straight for the chests of the attackers. The last one would be flabbergasted enough for Hiccup to escape.
The plan succeeded and Hiccup made it out alive of that surprise attack. But…
It was a double attack. For as Astrid was fixated on saving Hiccup, a spear hit across Astrid´s right calf, making her lose her balance on Stormfly. Her scream in agony sent shivers down Hiccup's spine. Stormfly swung back and forth, trying to stabilize her rider. She fought bravely for the safety of her best friend and companion through life, as she was unfocused on her flying, another attacker saw an opportunity. He sent off a giant clawed spear right to Stormfly's chest and…
Hit square in.
She gurgled and squawked for a bit, before plummeting tot the ground, still having a hurt Astrid on her back.
Astrid bit the pain, and did what she could to get off Stormfly before it was too late. She managed to get off, before she would be crushed under her dragon's death weight, but she landed sharply in a patch of rock.
SNNAAAAPP
Another scream in agony.
Hiccup raced towards her, barely keeping his balance as he threw himself off of Toothless.
"Astrid!" He stumbled towards her non-moving body, kneeling down beside her.
"Astrid, what happened to you? Anything…" he takes one slow look down at her leg, before quickly looking away.
Aside from the massive gash from the spear, her bone had snapped in a revolting way, one end sticking out of the gash.
"Hiccup…" She whispered, barely keeping it together.
"Astrid, you're going to be okay, everything's going to be just fine, trust me…" Hiccup couldn't stop mumbling to himself, which only worried him even more.
"Hiccup… I… I can't feel my leg…"
"I know, Milady, but it's there, trust me. Everything's going to be just fine, Milady…" She gasped in pain once, before taking a look around herself.
A scream escaped her lips, as her eyes fell upon her dragon.
"STORMFLYYYYYY!" She managed to haul herself up from Hiccup's supporting grasp, only to wriggle herself towards a dying life.
"Astrid, no… your leg…" But she didn't care. She had to get to Stormfly. She was on both her feet, trying to run, but her injured leg gave in and made her fall several times. Every time Hiccup stepped in to help, she only pushed him away with a shriek.
This was something she had to do herself.
All around them the fight continued, man against man, dragon against dragon. A threatening dark weathers soared in over the fields. A loud war cry could be heard in the distance, and every of Drago's men retreated back to the City of Berk, where their master called them to.
"No, please… Stormfly, no, no, no… Please, Stormfly…" Astrid couldn't stop quavering as she managed to get completely over to the dying Stormfly, who lay flat on her side, mouth slightly agape with a troubled breathing.
"Oh, Stormfly… It's going to be okay, girl. Everything's fine…" Tears left her eyes, rolling down her cheeks, landing on Stormfly's jaw. She patted and caressed her on her favourite spot, as Stormfly's breathing got fainter and fainter, and her eyes began to lose focus.
"You're doing great, girl. You've fought bravely today. I'm so proud of you." She sniffed the tears away once, but not before long the tears returned. She leaned in, resting her head against Stormfly's crown spikes.
"Everything's going to be fine… Everything's going to be fine…" She kept whispering to soothe the scared dragon who knew herself that she was dying.
One last squawk left the dying lips of Stormfly' before her chest went still.
Astrid noticed this, and jumped on from the spikes.
"Stormfly… Stormfly, no, no… NOOOOO! STORMFLYYYY!" A heavy rain started to pour from the darkened sky, drowning Astrid's falling tears in the soil. A little distance away Hiccup sat with Toothless, watching the traumatizing scene unfold. As Astrid's last cry of despair left her lungs, he got up and slowly approached her. She noticed nothing at all. As he approached her, he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Astrid, I…"
"Don't. Please…" She whispered, as she got up herself. She sniffed multiple times as she tried to get a hold of her own trembling body. Her breath was shaky and she could barely keep her balance, but she stood herself.
"Astrid…"
"I said DON'T!" She shrieked, humping away from him. Once she fell again, Hiccup got in and lifted her into his arms.
"No, Hiccup! Put. Me. Down! I'm perfectly… Capable. Of waking. Myself." She hissed through gritted teeth, trying to hide her inner sorrow. Hiccup only looked down at her, a sole tear leaving his eye.
"I know."
Astrid looked straight into his eyes, seeing her own sorrow reflected in his. She swelled up once more, giving in completely. She hiccupped once before hiding her entire being in the arms of Hiccup. He only hugged her closer, kissing her hair comfortingly.
Not another word was said.
He took a deep breath, before carrying his love away in the ashes of battle and shed blood of loved ones.
Much, much darker than I usually write, I know, but I just got this craaaazy idea on the way home from musical practice, as I was listening to some of my more… depressing music.
I really hope you like it, and on this oneshot specifically, I'd diiiiie for some positive critique or just a tiny review on your thoughts (:
Till next time
See ya!