She ran for Berk but was swept off her feet and suddenly found herself dangling in the open air. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on top of a deadly dragon, surrounded by the ocean and sky, and it was.. absolutely exhilarating.
Later on, after they made their way back from the nest, she slowly realized the truth behind the dragons and the boy who trained them. The same boy who once used to be her friend until they grew apart.
He was planning to leave Berk now and she knew she couldn't do anything to stop him.
"Will I ever... see you again?"
He shook his head, glaring into the ground. "I don't know."
"So this it? You are going to leave now.. just like that?" she whispered, shoulders slumped in defeat.
He looked over at his dragon companion with fondness and then shot her a more determined look. "I'm not willing to risk Toothless' life," he explained. "My father.. he will never be understanding of this - of Toothless. This is for the best, Astrid."
Astrid nodded although still clearly conflicted.
Hiccup scratched his head, and after a moment of hesitation, stepped closer to her until they were face to face.
"I know our friendship is very short-lived. I mean, we just became friends again but... I value it nevertheless."
He offered her his hand, smiling unsurely.
Astrid managed a timid smile of her own before taking his hand and shaking it. Sealing their newfound alliance.
She ended up folding her arms around herself as she watched Hiccup and Toothless take to the sky.
-c-
It had been nearly three years since Hiccup left and the situation on Berk was still not the most ideal. Astrid initially sat on knowledge she couldn't reveal to anyone. Even if she tried, she knew they wouldn't believe her. The only thing she could do was try to lessen the relentless killing of dragons. After the showdown in the Kill Ring had been called off due to Hiccup's sudden disappearance, Astrid snuck inside the arena and freed the dragons that had been held captive. This did, however, not stop the older Vikings from taking in new dragons to be slaughtered.
It was like an endless cycle and Astrid wanted out of it.
The only person who sympathized with her change of heart regarding the war was Fishlegs. He didn't hold any interest in harming anyone, dragons or humans alike. He also always supported Astrid whenever she suggested an alternative solution to the killing. Astrid really appreciated his friendship, and in the end decided to tell him the truth about Hiccup and Toothless. Fishlegs was astonished at first but to Astrid's utter surprise, accepted it almost immediately.
"You have to bring him back," he told her one evening as they walked down the stairs of the Great Hall.
"Astrid, you and I both know Hiccup is the only one who can stop this!"
Astrid often contemplated the idea herself but always ended up shoving it aside. "He doesn't want to come back, Fishlegs."
"You still have to do something though."
She nodded with a heavy sigh.
"I know."
-c-
Author's note: I'm going to try writing a Hiccup Runaway AU except this is going to focus on Astrid's character. In almost every Runaway AU I have read thus far, Astrid is written so mellow and indifferent, often fading into the background. And/or she is vilified. I find both of these scenarios to be out-of-character and very unfair. Astrid is not someone who would sit still and do nothing. Even if Astrid wasn't told the reality of the dragons, she would still take action and try to dig out the truth from her suspicions. She would try to do the right thing in the end, even if it would take her some time to realize what the right thing actually is.