A/N: Okay, another one-shot challenge...but I found myself thinking it would be interesting to explore a little of how the gang reacted to being back on Berk after the freedom they experienced on the Edge. It would probably take some getting used to...and with time on their hands, there would likely be some mischief. I also enjoyed Hiccup's insecurities in HTTYD:THW and thought it may be fun to play a little on those as well.
As usual, I do not own How To train Your Dragon. Rights remains with Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks.
Challenge by Vala411:
Words: min 2500
Challenge: the following sentences have to be uttered in the story: "I swear I didn't do it!", "Yak stampede", and "Mom heard from her neighbour who heard from your dad that..."
Pairing: Hiccstrid (of course)
-0-
TRAINING DAY
Life on Berk was hard, Hiccup acknowledged as he toiled up the hill, a heavy basket of fish on his shoulders. Absolutely no one could doubt that. And now we've moved back from the Edge, there is absolutely no chance to forget it. Lean and lanky, a few weeks past his twentieth birthday, Hiccup was impractically dressed in his brown leather armour, red tunic and deep olive leggings, his auburn hair framing his sharp-jawed, handsome face. And Thor, his back was aching, his stump was jabbing pain with every step and he was exhausted, sweaty and grimy. So of course, Astrid was standing at the top of the slope, a small smile lifting her beautiful face and the icy breeze lifting wisps of her golden hair around her face. Her sea blue eyes twinkled as she saw him pause as he reached her, swiping his forehead with his sleeve and taking a gasping breath.
"Morning, Milady," he grunted, trying to catch his breath. Quietly, she handed him a flask of cold water and he gratefully slaked his thirst, pouring the rest over his face and head and scrubbing his grimy skin with his hand to freshen himself up.
"Morning, Babe," she smiled and pecked the tiniest kiss of his cheek. "I see the 'managing without dragons and doing advanced Chief Training' is going really well…" He quirked an eyebrow and managed a sarcastic chuckle.
"Yeah-well, you know how my Dad loves to make me suffer...sorry, learn by experience…" he sighed. "And I can still recall his words." He drew himself up and adopted a powerful pose very reminiscent of the almost seven feet and four hundred pounds of muscle that was Chief Stoick the Vast, his father. His normally light and nasal tones deepened to a thick growl. "Aye-my father and I didn't have dragons to help us as we learned how to run the village and I think ye'll get soft if you don't experience exactly how hard the tasks are that you are asking your people to do. No job is too small or too dirty. A Chief serves his people!"
When he looked up, he saw Astrid staring at him, her eyes round and face shocked. The one-legged Viking rolled his eyes, realising what had happened.
"He's behind me, isn't he?" he muttered.
"Aye!" Stoick growled, his son turning to face him with a resigned expression on his face. Stoick's huge flaming red braided beard ruffled in the breeze as his cool eyes glared at his son. "And that was meant to be me?" Hiccup managed a self-conscious laugh.
"Ah...well...yes…" he managed, his emerald eyes expressing his embarrassment. Suddenly his father clapped him on the shoulder, almost knocking him over.
"Aye-that was the best impression I've heard in a long time, son!" he roared and gave a huge bellow of laughter as Hiccup rubbed his shoulder "Now hurry on with your tasks. Once you've dropped those fish at Gothi's for her Terrible Terrors, Mulch and Bucket have a fence to mend and you need to keep a look out for those yak-tippers…" Hiccup groaned.
"Really, Dad?" he asked with a sigh. "I mean I showed you four years ago that it's far better to deal with them when you're on a dragon…"
"And you are learning to Chief without a dragon," Stoick pointed out patiently. "I know you and Toothless are a great team-I've seen you in action often enough, after all! But you're becoming lazy, I think-and relying far too much on your dragon to solve all your problems."
"But dragons are part of our life, part of Berk," the auburn-haired Viking argued spiritedly. "And they make life easier and far more productive…"
"And yet, as part of your training, son, you have to learn to do things the Viking way as well as the-the Hiccup way," Stoick told him sternly. "You are one day going to become the Chief of Berk-and it is my duty to train you to be able to fulfil that role. If all you can do is rely upon Toothless, what happens if they one day up and vanish? How would you even know how to cope without them?" Hiccup folded his arms and stared into his father's face.
"Dad-why exactly would they leave?" he asked. "They have everything they need here-and more when the 'all you can eat' feeding stations and the stables are finished. We've defeated the Dragon Hunters and Johann. The King of Dragons is safe. We have alliances with the Defenders of the Wing and the Wingmaidens as well as Berserk. The Viking way is hard and we used it all my life until the war ended. It's now time to embrace the future."
"Then prove you don't need Toothless," his father challenged him, his lips quirking into a smirk. Hiccup groaned and grabbed his basket of fish.
"Okay," he said with a resigned sigh. "But this really isn't necessary…" Stoick watched him stomp off up the hill, his movements clearly not happy as the Chief turned his knowing gaze over to the beautiful blonde standing opposite.
"Do you think I'm being hard?" he asked her and the young woman shook her head.
"Not at all, sir," she said calmly. "I think Hiccup is a very inventive and determined man. He desperately wants you to be proud of him-and he has gotten used to having Toothless with him almost every waking hour. I think he doubts he can be the Heir you want without him. He needs to learn he can be." Stoick stared up the hill, seeing that Hiccup had delivered the fish and was then trudging off to the east, heading for Mulch's farm.
"I am proud of him-of the boy he was, of the deeds he has done, of the man he has become," the Chief said gently. "But this is something he needs to do-maybe to remind himself what he can do without his dragon."
"But maybe he needs to recall that he doesn't need to do it without his friends," she sighed.
oOo
The Riders had agreed to spend the day without their dragons-in solidarity with their leader-though that hadn't stopped Snotlout and the twins moaning non-stop. Eventually, the twins had gotten bored and headed off in search of mischief while Snotlout had excused himself and was nowhere to be found. Astrid had rounded up Fishlegs and had set him to help occupy the wee ones, who were prone to get easily bored and cause the kind of mayhem that only Viking children could, while she had helped Gobber deliver his weapons and taken care of the dragons. They had been asked to stay in the Arena and because Hiccup had asked him, Toothless acquiesced, though the Night Fury was clearly unhappy. The rest of them were sunning themselves on the warm Arena floor and enjoying a day off.
Throughout the day, Astrid kept an eye on Hiccup, seeing him dashing back and forth, dealing with queries and tasks and trying to find the elusive yak tippers. Mulch had asked Hiccup to help mend a couple of fences and the young Viking had willingly set to it, ensuring the sheep couldn't escape. There had been a boar incursion in Formerly-Silent Sven's sheep farm and the boy had cursed the difficulty in locating and rounding up the sheep on his own without his dragon, being knocked over twice by the hardy but indescribably stupid Berkian sheep. He had almost thought about calling on his friends to assist him as Astrid had already offered three times-but the stubborn core that was Stoick's self-doubting son had reminded him that his father would deal with it all on his own...so he would have to as well.
But nothing had prepared him for the shock as he had returned to Mulch's farm at the little man's insistence to find the yak tippers had struck again. Staring at the southern field and a herd of thirty yaks, all tipped onto their sides, he had given an incoherent yell. For once, he felt his temper rise, for he knew exactly who were to blame.
"RUFF! TUFF! I KNOW IT'S YOU!" he shouted at the field of yaks and turned to stalk away down the hill, heading off in search for the twins. "YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!" He and his father had caught them over twenty times in the past and he knew that they were bored. Back on Berk, there was a lot less patrolling, almost no fighting and suddenly, they were relegated from vital parts of the resistance against Krogan and defence of the Edge to riders at the command of the Chief but having little say in any decision. Honestly, he was terribly disappointed at them and felt personally let down, for he knew they could be relied on much more than they were showing. He could almost imagine he could hear snickering behind him and he froze, his fists bunching. "YOU'LL BE ON DRAGON DUNG DUTY FOR A MONTH!" he yelled.
But then he heard lowing and the thunder of feet. He turned and stared, stunned, as Mulch sped past him at a pace even Hiccup couldn't match.
"YAK STAMPEDE!" the short, hairy farmer had yelled as he sprinted past and Hiccup had just had a chance to turn before the yaks were on him. Unable to intercept them, he could only allow himself to be buffeted and knocked aside as the stampede inexorably headed for the village. Stunned, muddy and lightly trampled, Hiccup picked himself up and opened his mouth to call for Toothless-before he bit his lip. A Chief protects his own-so he would have to sort this out. Himself.
Stoick and the rest of the village had no warning as about thirty yaks galloped down past the Great Hall and through the Plaza, smashing open Sven's sheep pen, overturning carts, trampling bread and other food, scattering weapons and wood and barrels of precious mead. Hooligans were yelling, cursing and running in all directions but largely scattering to avoid getting trampled by tons of furious and stampeding yak. Gobber ended up in a water trough, Spitelout was dangling down the well and Stoick had managed to scramble onto the roof of the Larsons' house. The yaks stampeded on, thundering through the forge, the armoury and storehouse one, leaving a trail of utter chaos and devastation.
It was only as the frantic bellows and moos receded that the familiar skinny, muddy and lightly trampled shape appeared at the top of the Plaza, screeching to a halt as the Chief's son stared at the chaos and devastation and his jaw dropped. Stoick lightly leapt to the ground and scowled, looking around the Plaza.
"Hiccup!" he said sternly. "Do you know anything about this?" The young man took a few shuddering breaths.
"Well, I know how this happened, Dad-but I swear I didn't do it!" he said honestly. The Chief shook his head.
"Hiccup-I expected better of you," he said in a disappointed tone. "I understand you have been away from Berk for some time now and have been used to being the one giving the commands but I really assumed you would be capable of this task. We can ill afford to lose food and have so much damage done to the village. Can you please try to round up the sheep that have scattered over the upper village? I'll get Spitelout, Sven and Hoark to help me sort out the rest of the village." And then he turned away. Staring at him, Hiccup's shoulders slumped, his spirits plummeting to his boot. He had been running around all day and had worn himself out doing everything to make his father proud-yet all he had done was disappoint Stoick. All the old insecurities crashed back around him, the years of disappointment not erased by the more recent successes.
After all, those were all down to Toothless anyway, he thought despondently, casting around to try to locate the first of Sven's elusive and prone-to-wander sheep. None of it was me. None of it was Hiccup making him proud: it was just the most rare and elusive dragon making this one-legged screw-up look better than he deserved. Without Toothless, I'm nothing. I can't do it.
oOo
Astrid had washed all the dragons and tidied the Arena because it needed doing-and she wanted to spend some time with the dragons, who she knew would be lonely from not being with their riders all day. It was hard work but she enjoyed the distraction and sense of achievement before she headed back up the village, hoping to find Hiccup and persuade him to let her help him with his tasks-but she was shocked when she crossed the spur from the Arena and walked through the village. She blinked and looked around, wondering if there had been an Outcast attack or Dragon Hunter raid while she had been scrubbing down Stormfly and the others. But as she looked closer, she realised there were hoof prints all through the Plaza and a lot of yaks grazing all over the cliffs.
As she looked more carefully, she realised the kids were running around, throwing apples at each other and annoying their exasperated parents when they were supposed to be studying with Fishlegs. Frode the Flatulant and Henface the Bald were trying to coax two sheep off the Forge roof, Mrs Larson was using her bright blue Terrible Terror to collect her washing, which was scattered all across the lower village-though much of it seemed to have hoof- or foot-prints all over it and Gobber was complaining to everyone who would listen that it wasn't time for his annual bath but he certainly wasn't bathing again this side of Winter.
"It isn't natural, all that scrubbing and getting wet!" he grumbled.
Casting around, Astrid's blue eyes narrowed as she realised the shapes she wasn't seeing and her fists tightened. Furious, she stalked up the village and headed straight for the Great Hall, ignoring the eyes on her. There was no sign of Hiccup and that worried her as well, since he was on Chief Training and should be somewhere in the heart of clearing up the mess. So she stalked up to the Great Hall, pushed the doors open and found exactly what she was expecting: the other Riders sitting at a table, enjoying a healthy meal and completely ignoring the work that needed to be done. Fishlegs looked up from his yak chops and gave a self-conscious wave.
"Oh, hi Astrid!" he called as she stalked towards them. "Have a seat. These yak chops are Heather's recipe. They're really delicious!" The others paid no attention as Snotlout leaned towards the twins.
"Mom heard from her neighbour who heard from your Dad that Hiccup caused a yak stampede that demolished half of the lower village!" he scoffed. "I mean, without his dragon, he is definitely number two in the leadership stakes! I would so awesomely know what to do that Uncle Stoick would be amazed."
"He'd be amazed, all right," Astrid snapped, pausing by the table and folding her arms as she scowled at them. Snotlout grinned.
"Hiya, Babe!" he said smugly. "I hear Princess Outpost is making a complete Gronckle's breakfast of his day Chiefing!" Growling in her throat, she slammed her axe down millimetres from Snotlout's hand. He gave a very girly scream and snatched his hand back, "AAGH! You nearly chopped off my hand!"
"I'm really off my game," she told him shortly. "I haven't missed by that much since I was five. I'll have to hit the practice range."
"AAGH!"
"Don't call Hiccup 'Princess Outpost' in my hearing ever again!" she snapped and glared at the cringing Snotlout. "We're back on Berk now. He did an amazing job on the Edge, creating the outpost, leading us-even when you guys didn't obey him-and managing to defeat not only the Dragon hunters and Viggo but also Krogan and Johann."
"But back here on Berk, he's struggling!" Ruff commented.
"We all are," Fishlegs admitted. "Look, we've all grown used to be being in charge, all having a say in what happens, having our own tasks...and yet back here, we're not the senior warriors and we're all...I guess, feeling bored? Lost? Not important?"
"All of the above," Tuff muttered, aimlessly juggling a trio of chicken legs. "I mean, towards the end, it was totally awesome. Battles, destruction, improvisation...it was Valhalla." He gave a theatrical sniff as he caught all three wings in one hand so he could wipe an eye with the other. "I miss that."
"No one respects us," Snotlout grumbled. "I mean, we were full warriors and we ran our own settlement-but back here, they just treat us like the kids we were. No one gives us the respect we deserve."
"None of the wee ones even listen to me," Fishlegs sighed. "They've had Gobber teaching them dragon types and they are all wrong and mixed up and based on outdated and inaccurate information. I mean, I have my cards and notes based on the DragonEye which is far more accurate than some of the things from the old Book of Dragons...and no one wants to listen…"
"So I'm guessing that you've lost control of the young kids and gone off in a sulk to sort through your cards, right?" Astrid asked him sternly. Fishlegs's blue-green eyes widened.
"Um...maybe?" he asked, his voice wavering. She snorted in annoyance.
"That would explain why they're causing trouble all over the village. And you Snotlout-I bet you sneaked off and got in some beauty sleep-even though there were tasks to be done?" she asked.
"Well, Princess...I mean, Hiccup...never complained as long as I turned up for patrol and things got done," he protested.
"Usually by Hiccup," Ruff added.
"Besides, how is all this gorgeousness going to stay perfect without food and rest?" the stocky rider protested.
"You know no one cares?" Tuff asked him and earned a growl from the raven-haired rider.
"Snotlout-we're not kids any more!" Astrid told him in an exasperated voice. "You can't bunk off for the day and let the others work! You're a seasoned and respected warrior-and you have to set the standard. Remember the older warriors when you were a kid?" He stared at her and reluctantly nodded. "Would you have looked up to them and respected them if they had been lazy and just sat back? I guess you respected them because they were always there, in the forefront, doing what needed to be done…"
"Busted!" Ruff laughed, reading the discomfort on his face. But Astrid rounded on her and her expression was scornful.
"And you two...I really don't know what to say!" she began.
"Then don't," Tuff suggested. "I mean, I thought you'd actually learned to respect us and our unique contribution…" And then he cringed as Astrid glared.
"And what unique contribution would that be?" she demanded. "I note you two weren't doing anything useful. Have you been outside? The village has been wrecked. And I can see it was a yak stampede-would you happen to know anything about that?" The twins both looked offended.
"You wound us by such a baseless accusation!" Tuff said in a wounded voice.
"Yeah, Astrid-we thought you were our friend but to accuse us of…" Ruff began.
"You know, Hiccup was ordered by the Chief to look into an outbreak of yak tipping," Astrid interrupted her. "That incidentally only broke out after we came back from the Edge…" There was an awkward silence. "Now I note you two are filthy-and Tuff has yak dung on his helmet. So you wanna tell me exactly what happened or do I need to check my accuracy once more?" And she wrenched her axe out of the hardened wood of the table with one hand, twirling it menacingly. Sharing a look, Ruff and Tuff both raised their hands.
"We did it!" they said quickly. Astrid took a pace forward.
"Why?" she demanded. They both shrugged and then Tuff lifted a hand and began to tick off reasons as he listed them.
"Well, we were bored, there really isn't enough destruction, yak tipping is a respected Berkian sport that should be preserved, we needed the exercise, why not and we worship Loki! Of course we cause chaos and destruction!"
"And you didn't realise that it's Hiccup-your friend-who would have to chase you around and clean up your mess?" she asked them pointedly and then looked at the whole group. "Did any single one of you think to offer to help him with his tasks?"
"He's on Chief training today," Snotlout said with the merest hint of jealousy and Astrid huffed. Though he was less overtly aggressive towards Hiccup and usually supported his cousin without so much difficulty, being back on Berk in close proximity to his father seemed to have fuelled his rivalry with Hiccup and stirred up a bit more of his jealousy.
"Being acting Chief doesn't mean he has to do all the tasks in the village!" Astrid snapped. "I know-we all know-that Hiccup takes his responsibilities seriously. Thor-we all recall how obsessive he got when he lost the DragonEye to Viggo! And he will want to make his father proud of him. So good friends-proper friends-would have offered to help their friend with his tasks and ease his burden. Because when Hiccup is Chief, he will rely on his friends to help him lead the Tribe forward. So we should be training with him as well!"
There was a thoughtful silence as they all shared a variety of looks-and then they looked up at the blonde.
"Ruff, Tuff-round up those yaks," Astrid ordered. "Once you've done that, you need to go and confess to the Chief and apologise to Hiccup. Fishlegs-finds those kids and make them help collect Mrs Larson's washing and the spilled apples. Then go and help Sven and Ack inventory the storehouse. Snotlout-you're to help Gobber sort out the Forge and the Armoury and get the weapons gathered and replaced. I'll check in with the Chief and see what else he wants us to do. Understand?"
There were ashamed nods.
"NOW!" Astrid snapped and there was a burst of activity as the Riders grabbed their food and scurried from the Great Hall, the girl staring after them. Absently, she grabbed a hunk of discarded bread and a yak chop and ate them swiftly, then found a rag and gathered up a couple of chicken legs, a yak chop and some sliced roast yak, making a small parcel. Grabbing a flask of water, she turned back to the door to head out in search of Hiccup. But as she reached the threshold, she heard a snort from behind her.
"That was impressive, lass," Stoick said, his expression thoughtful. "I see my son made a wise choice for his wife and future Chieftess." Astrid dipped her head self-consciously.
"I only do what needs to be done," she said respectfully. "Hiccup is our leader-and we all acknowledge that, no matter what Snotlout protests. I am his lieutenant and my job is largely kicking them into shape while Hiccup makes the strategy and leads us into battle. I love him dearly, sir-but I know him as well. And he thinks he has to do it all alone because you asked him to. His pride is a little bit bigger than his brain sometimes." Stoick gave a sad smile.
"That seems to be a fault of the Haddock men-along with stubbornness," he warned her.
"I may already have noticed that, sir," she admitted. The Chief nodded, inspecting the impressive young woman standing before him. There was no doubting she was beautiful, her clear skin, bright blue eyes and elegantly braided sun-gold hair-the only real concession she had made to her gender. An axe was slung over her back and there were knives attached to her skull belt and a small food parcel clasped in her hands.
"I think he feels he has failed me," Stoick told her.
"Hiccup forgets that he is the leader of the Dragon Riders and was the Chief of the Edge, our General against Viggo and Krogan and Johann," she sighed. 'I think when he comes back here, he completely becomes that boy who caused all the chaos-especially without Toothless. He just wants your approval, sir. He doesn't believe he's anything without his dragon."
"Find him and talk to him, will you Astrid?" he asked. "I think I need a word with those twins…" Astrid chuckled.
"I think that is well deserved," she said. "I know where he'll be."
oOo
She had debated about going back to get the dragons but in the end, she decided that it would be better to stick to the spirit of the 'no dragons' ruling so she had walked. In truth, it had been a pleasant chance to revisit old memories-of training in the forest, of stalking Hiccup when she had been trying to catch him cheating in Dragon training, of becoming the person she was.
She hopped over a gully and forged on. Hiccup had made her the person she was, giving her the chance to understand what he was doing, rather than killing her as he should. And she had come to see him then for what he was, a brave, determined, inventive and compassionate young man. He wasn't a traditional viking-but then she was viking enough for both of them. They had spent a lot of time together on the Edge and being back on Berk had been hard, for they had to conform to Viking norms, staying with their parents and not getting many chances to be together. Hiccup was very aware of the eyes on him and was determined not to let anyone say anything against Astrid...but during their time away, he had confided in her about his hopes and fears, the sense of inadequacy and doubt that he had always harboured. It frustrated Astrid but she accepted he was who he was and remained loyally at his side, making sure their friends didn't inadvertently make life harder for her Betrothed.
The way down to the Cove looked smaller than she remembered but then, she hadn't actually climbed down for years. Agilely, she bounded down and paused at the entrance, seeing what she expected: the bowed shape perched on a rock, staring aimlessly at the little mere. Carefully, she walked up to him and he glanced up, then looked away.
"I know what you're going to say," he sighed as he scooched over slightly to allow her to sit by him.
"Really?" she asked him carefully. He shrugged.
"You're going to say that I should have asked for help and that my friends would have stopped that stampede," he said despondently. She scuffed her boot on the mossy floor.
"Maybe I would say that your friends caused that stampede," she told him. He gave a low chuckle.
"It was my responsibility," he admitted.
"And you cannot be responsible for the others' actions," she reminded him. "Your friends should know that you need their help and offer it freely rather than acting like stupid kids. I reminded them they are warriors, role models and should behave like that." He groaned and ran his hands through his auburn hair, leaving it wild.
"And I should have said that as well," he muttered. "Instead, I yell at a field of yaks and end up getting flattened by a stampede."
"The twins admitted causing it, not you," she told him and then handed him the parcel. "Eat, you muttonhead. I know you will have neglected yourself. I like fishbones-but I'm not sure what's thinner than one of those and I'm not sure I want to find out…" He shook his head.
"A Hiccup," he told her wryly, but unfolded the cloth and took a grateful bite of the roast yak. "Thanks."
"Hiccup-you aren't alone," she reminded him, her hand gently stroking through his hair and gliding over the two little braids she had put there. "You have me. And training to be a Chief means using all those skills that you have developed on the Edge and facing the Outcasts and Berserkers before that. You always know what to do to use our abilities to the best effect. That isn't Toothless doing that-it's Hiccup. And I know you miss the role you had-but you are still the leader of the Dragon Riders, the son of the Chief and the hero and pride of Berk."
"Make it worse, why don't you?" he snarked. She punched his shoulder.
"When you are Chief, I will be by your side," she reminded him.
"You will be my General," he told her honestly, seeing her eyes widen. "I mean, you are the woman with the best feeling of where to put a ballista in the entire Archipelago! Your mind immediately calculates the military aspect, you are a warrior-like Dad. I know I'm not at heart-but I would be a poor Chief if I didn't have at my side my best warrior. And you are the best warrior on Berk." She punched him in the shoulder again. "Ow? Why was that? I was being nice to you!" he protested, clutching the point of impact: that would definitely leave a bruise.
"That's for not thinking that you could accept my help, you mutton-headed numbskull!" she scolded him. "And for forgetting there is one warrior better than me."
"Dad?"
"You, you idiot!" she reminded him. "You can beat me: none of the others can. You are a great leader-and I am your adviser, your supporter…" She leaned in and kissed him. "And the woman who loves you."
"Ah. Thank Thor. I thought something had gone seriously wrong with the world. I mean, I'd gotten punched-twice-so where was my kiss?" he quipped, smiling. She looked up from under her eyelashes.
"You could always kiss me," she suggested as he leaned over and gently cupped her chin in his hand, pressing his lips to hers in an extraordinarily sweet kiss. When he pulled back after maybe an aeon, she found herself smiling giddily.
"Good enough?" he asked her with a hint of his usual sass and she smiled.
"It'll do, Dragon Boy," she smiled and twined her hand with his. "Now eat your food and then we can go hunting for Sven's sheep."
"BAAAA!"
Both young Vikings looked up and saw a sheep precariously perched on the very edge of the cove. Hiccup got up and took a quick bite of his chicken leg.
"Maybe we should start now, since they're clearly in the vicinity?" he suggested and she sighed.
"You are right," she admitted as she rose as well. "Why did you come here?" He sighed and headed for the exit, past the weathered shield still jammed in the rocks.
"I always used to come here when I first met Toothless," he said quietly. "No one knew where I was and it was somewhere that was mine, where I didn't have to recall being the screw-up son of the greatest Chief in the history of Berk and the worst Viking Berk had ever seen. Here, I was the boy who befriended and trained a Night Fury. Here, I wasn't a failure." He paused. "And I hoped you would come for me." She watched him climb up agilely with his prosthetic leg and marvelled that this young man had managed to defeat the monster the size of a mountain that had controlled the dragon raids for centuries and had only lost part of his leg. And despite his own reservations, she had seen him become agile, strong, fit and skilled, everything he never credited himself with.
"I came because I knew you needed me," she said when she caught up with him at the top. "I came because my amazing boyfriend needed my help, even though he was too proud to ask for it."
"Astrid...tell me honestly," he said in a worried voice, the words all coming out in a rush. "Is it Toothless? I mean, if I didn't have Toothless…"
"You would still be the same person you are," she reminded him. "That isn't Toothless-that's you. The inventive, brave, knuckleheaded, stubborn Viking son of Stoick the Vast. We-I-would have found out eventually-Toothless just gave you an obvious way to show us why you are the perfect and only person to succeed your Dad. And don't you forget that!"
He smiled then, his anxieties easing. "Hopefully many years in the future," he sighed. "I mean, I'm certainly not ready now." And then he saw a couple of sheep, standing stupidly in the open, staring at a tree. Stealthily, the two Vikings grabbed saplings to act as staffs and tried to round the sheep up but they headed in opposite directions.
"Oh my Thor, I had forgotten how stupid Sven's sheep really are," Astrid muttered as she sprinted off after one that was heading at full speed straight at the edge of the Cove. Tackling it, she managed to bring it down before it could stampede over the forty foot drop.
"Tell me about it," Hiccup called from the bottom of a gully with another sheep. They scrambled up and then started laughing.
"This is ridiculous!" she said, glaring at the sheep and he began to chuckle.
"I have an idea," he said and grabbed Inferno from its sheath on his thigh, pressing the button that snapped the blade out through the coat of Monstrous Nightmare gel and setting it alight. "I tried this on Sleipnir Island…" And then he paused. "It never struck me then but why would sheep be on Sleipnir Island anyway?" Astrid waved her staff at a sheep that was trying to run in the wrong direction.
"Probably dropped there by traders and trappers to provide meat and milk when they stop by," she suggested as Hiccup ran forward, yelling and waving the flaming blade over his head. There were frightened baaas and sheep erupted from every conceivable place-brambles, bushes, even launching from the lower branches of the trees. Sharing a grin, the couple chased after the sheep, herding them more or less in the direction of the village. Suddenly, the task felt less like a chore and more like a game-especially with Astrid at his side and Hiccup's despondency and anxieties lifted even more. He knew he could do anything when he had Astrid by his side-and Toothless, of course.
Slowly, they gathered up the sheep, rounded up stragglers and ones who strayed from the main flock-about half of them-and rescued sheep that had fallen down gullies and into streams-also about half of them. But it was when Hiccup scrambled down into the stream and dragged out a black sheep that his face lit up. Sweating, he hauled the ungrateful sheep out-which bit him-and then looked over at Astrid.
"I know how to keep the twins from destroying the village," he told her and leaned over, pecking a quick kiss on the cheek. "And it's a Hiccupy solution." Astrid whacked the black sheep on the rump as it tried to head off back into the forest.
"I never doubted you," she reassured him. "Now let's get these sheep home."
oOo
The sun was setting and Stoick was starting to get a little concerned as he scanned the village. The chaos had been largely sorted out-though the Riders-and Spitelout-had moaned that it was unfair they were having to work while Hiccup was off having a rest. Knowing better, his lips curled up in a smile as he saw the whole of Sven's flock emerge from the forest, with the unmistakable shapes of Hiccup and Astrid driving them down and penning them expertly-though Hiccup had to dash to one side to grab the only black sheep in the flock which was making a break for it. Smiling, he handed it to Astrid.
"All yours, Milady," he said graciously as she took the sheep. Smiling, she winked at him.
"Thanks, Babe," she said and tossed the sheep into the pen which gave an indignant baa. "Ten points and the win, I think." He chuckled.
"Is everything a competition?" he asked her and she nodded.
"You know me, Babe-and I think you knew what you were signing up for…" she replied smugly as he pulled her close and gave her a very passionate kiss.
"Ugh! Get a room, Hiccstrid!" Snotlout grumbled, covered with hoof marks. One of the yaks had broken free and trampled him and the last thing he needed was reminding his cousin had managed to win Astrid's hand as well.
"Got a village instead," Hiccup told him mildly. "Right. Dad-we should restart Dragon Racing. I know we haven't been here to race but we're back now and if the twins and Snotlout are training for racing, they won't be causing trouble as well. It will also be a good way to sharpen up the skills of the A Team and any new riders we train since we shouldn't have so many battles and attacks, Odin willing." The Chief smiled and folded his arms.
"Indeed," he said. "I suspect you have some plans to upgrade the course?" Looking up slightly guiltily, the auburn-haired Viking gave a small chuckle.
"I may have had a few ideas as I was walking back to the village," he admitted. "Ruff! Tuff!" The twins looked up guiltily.
"Hey H," Tuff said cheerily. "How's it going?"
"Much better-when I realised that being a Chief isn't just about serving my people but leading them," he told them sternly. "And expecting them to help me run our village. Not destroy it for fun. You're on dragon dung duty for a month-and if I catch you yak tipping again, I will ground you for a month as well."
"Aww...it was only a bit of fun…" Ruff whined. Hiccup gestured to the village, the shape of Gobber still hammering the last few damaged weapons back into shape still visible in the Forge.
"Does this look like fun?" he asked pointedly.
"But a month? When the Chief has already given us a punishment detail of yak cleaning?" Tuff grumbled. "Tyrant!"
"Do you want two months of dragon dung duty?" Hiccup asked.
"SHUT UP!" Ruff told her brother, clamping her hands over his mouth to stop him complaining again. She could see how this was going to go. Tuff bit her and in moments, the two were rolling on the floor, trading blows.
"They're all yours," Stoick said. Hiccup nodded.
"And as it's now sunset, the day is over so...TOOTHLESS!" There was an answering roar. "Thanks for the day, Dad-it was very enlightening. But though the Viking way is traditional, I think I'll stick to the dragon way...and deal with what may come." Recklessly, he hooked his arm around Astrid's waist and smiled as the familiar black shape galloped up the Plaza to meet him. "Hi, Bud. Missed me?" The answering roar was confirmation enough as Hiccup steered his Betrothed to the Night Fury. He spun her to face him, looking deep into her eyes. "Wanna come on an evening flight with me, Milady?" She stole a brief kiss.
"And he's back," she smirked. "My awesome sassy boyfriend. I thought you'd never ask." But she leaned close when they clambered on board Toothless. "But were you really thinking about the Dragon Racing Course while you were walking through the forest with me? Really?" He gulped.
"What answer won't get me punched?" he asked quickly. "Hold that thought. Toothless-sky!"
Stoick stepped back as the Night Fury accelerated up into the darkening sky, Astrid sitting behind his son with her arms wrapped comfortably around his lean shape and her head resting against his shoulder. Watching them together reminded him of a time when he was that young man in love, looking forward to the future with the woman he loved at his side. And in his heart, he knew the future of Berk would be in good Astrid and Toothless and his friends, Hiccup would be a remarkable Chief. But as they vanished, he turned back to the village. The torches were lit, the smells of roasting meat were beginning to waft down from the Great Hall and Gobber was singing horribly in the Forge. Sure, the twins were still fighting and Snotlout was moaning to anyone who would listen that he definitely needed his beauty sleep but the village was safe and no one had been hurt.
He glanced one last time into the sky, the brighter stars already showing in the afterglow. The Night Fury vanished over the island and he smiled, turning back to the village and bellowing at the Riders. Hiccup could deal with them in the morning.
All would be well.
The End.