What was that sound? Was it a bear?
Ashley lifted the blanket up to her nose, eyes wide and terrified as she listened at the outside noises of the night. Her room was dark – only the light of the fireplace entering by the crack under the door of the room.
Her dad had gone for the night – and she hated it. She felt insecure without him. Yet her mom was here, next door, still up. Ashley trusted her as much as her father, but for some reason, even though she looked up to her, her dad was the one she relied the most on.
The wind outside blew on the house, causing crackling noises a little – but it still sent shivers down her spine every time it happened. Her turquoise eyes shifted from an object to another lying around her room should they come alive all suddenly and attack her. She tried to be brave and not be afraid of anything just like her parents, but sometimes, she couldn't help but shake from fear.
Her door suddenly opened slowly, and her mom's silhouette appeared against the golden light behind.
''You okay, Ash?'' asked Astrid, concerned as she took steps towards her daughter's bed.
''Yeah, mom... I'm fine.'' said Ashley and took a deep breath.
''It's the wind that scares you, huh?'' she asked, and Ashley shot into a sitting position, eyes round.
''How did you know?'' she questioned, but all Astrid did was giggle.
''Come,'' she said, and replaced her pillow correctly against the bed's head. ''I'll sing you a lullaby.''
A lullaby. Ashley loved those. Dad's were good, but mom's were great. She knew her mother was a great a fierce warrior, one of the best of the town - but she still had a soft side.
Astrid covered Ashley with her favorite blanket and placed her Toothless cuddly toy next to her for comfort. She sat at the bed's feet, and leaned over Ashley who slowly closed her eyes, ready for her mother's song.
''Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
''Go to sleep, my little baby.
''When you wake, you shall have,
''All the pretty little dragons.
''Nadders and Nights, Terrors and Jacks,
''All the pretty little dragons.
''Way up yonder, in the wild skies,
''Poor little baby, crying mama.
''Birds and the butterflies flutter 'round her eyes,
''Poor little baby, crying mama.
''Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
''Go to sleep, my little baby.
''When you wake, you shall have,
''All the pretty little dragons.
''Nadders and Nights, Terrors and Jacks,
''All the pretty little dragons,
''Mmhmhmh mh, mh mh, mh mh...''
Astrid kissed Ashley on her forehead as she'd fallen asleep, and quietly walked out and closed the door of the room, leaving the golden light of the crackling fire entering by the crack beneath the door.
Alright, perhaps you don't know the song's tempo, but if you're interested, the original song's title is All the Pretty Little Horses.
I just thought, in Tone Death, we don't get Astrid singing enough, so... there. I wanted to do that.