The sky above had the most beautiful blue she had seen in years. The sun shone bright while stray fleecy clouds passed by and soft spring breezes blew around.
Even in Toothless' cove she could feel them. There she laid on the highest rock, her feet put up as far as they would go, with closed eyes, enjoying the warm stray on her face.
Anywhere next to her she could hear Azra swishing trough the bushes, probably chasing a mouse or something. She also knew Toothless hung in his dark corner from the biggest brunch of an old oak. The picture popped immediately in her head and a little smile sneaked up her feature at the thought of how his ears reached the grassy earth now because of his last growth spurt.
A new breeze rushed over her face, together with a sun steeling shadow of something slightly bigger. Tentatively the girl opened one eye, only to see Azra watching her intensely.
The purple Nadder stood completely still over her and looked straight into her eyes. Not moving she took up the competition and stared back. A short moment later Azra blinked. Then he squealed annoyed.
Astrid couldn't help but grin. Nevertheless it was her signal to leave.
In slow movements she rose to her feet and stretched heavenwards as far as she could. Eagerly Azra watched her doing. When the girl threw a last sorrowful view over to Toothless the Nadder became visibly restless.
For him she clearly moved not fast enough. His nervous bearing with the head and the excited outfaning of the wings gave him away. But that didn't encouraged her to increase her speed. Not even when he squealed indignant again. Instead she acually slowed a little bit down, pretending to clean up invisible dust from her trousers, straightening her boots, with the best intention to delay time, but always having an observing eye onto the Nadder. Azra obviously didn't like this - he squealed again.
Finally he managed to calm a little bit down. Astrid knew this was the best she would get, so she climbed onto the jittery reptiles back. She didn't even sat in the saddle when he spread out his wings and started for the sky.
One last time she looked back to Toothless before she concentrated on the dragon under her. The Night Fury himself only threw a scowling view to the leaving pair as well just to turn rapidly away and hide behind his enormous wings.
-:-
Astrid could tell it wasn't that easy to control Azra's urge to play. Flying while him catching every airhole he could find, needed sometimes more than just sure hands and a good stomach .
How she should train him into an useful housedragon, she couldn't say anymore. In the beginning it had seemed to be easy - he had been a young playful dragon like every other she had trained so far. But while the others always became calmer and more trustable, Azra somehow refuses to overgrow this attitude. Alike whether flying or staying on earth he was always in for the next distraction. Worse still he generally forgot, that there was most of the time a rider sitting on his back.
Today was one of these days. As Astrid thought the Nadder had enough of his own will, so he would follow her guidance now, Azra suddenly looped in midair and started for a straight spin drive. Caught in surprise the girl clung to the reins, afraid to fall apart - but he even sped up more!
The earth came rapidly nearer. Astrid couldn't see clear anymore, the pace forced tears in her eyes. In pure panic she pulled the straps upwards, forcing them with all her strength, but the dragon seemed not even to notice it. The same time she desperately tried to hold herself in the saddle, to not to plunge headfirst down.
Instantly Astrid knew this would end in a crash landing. And she couldn't think of anything to braced for the impact.
Even if Azra would catch himself shortly above the earth, she wouldn't be able to hold on his back - not with this speed!
The disaster loomed nearer with every heartbeat, when she suddenly saw him aiming for the docks. A small trader had just landed there and Astrid could see three people discharging their storage, while Gobber cleared the conditions with one other guy.
Azra darted for the smallest patch of green of whole berk, right in front of the landing piers.
"WATCH OUUUUT!" was the last thing Astrid could yell, before the Nadder abruptly folded his wings, stabilizing his flight with an turnover. She was thrown straight through the air and collided ungentle with the hard earth.
A huge cloud of dust was the first thing she saw – then came the pain. Her back felt like torn apart!
Groaning she rolled to the side. Only then she realized the warm softness underneath her. No heartbeat later the screams seeped though her dizzy mind to the ears.
"Astrid!" - "Odins sake, Ned!"
Like from thin air Gobber appeared next to her, holding out his good hand to help her up. The same moment the softness under her moved as well and Astrid slid gently to the earth. Like paralyzed she felt the young man behind her standing up. A girl from the trader had run over and looked now in worried motions for his wellbeing.
Astrid herself couldn't help but sit there, both legs spread apart - like a kid fallen onto his bum. Dumbstruck she stared just in front of her.
She nearly broke her neck...
Only when a second hand appeared in her view she snapped out of trance.
"You okay?" The young man knelt down in front of her to have a better sight on her face.
"Eh... Yeah... Yes, just the dragon..." Thankfully she grabbed the offered hand while she looked up - and froze.
The smile, the brown hair, these eyes, the small scar at his chin... She couldn't believe it!
"Hiccup...?" Her eyes widened in shock.
"Excuse me?" The young man was visibly confused. "Are you all right?" He checked her up and down with a concerning glance. "That looked pretty dangerous. Sure you didn't hurt anything?"
But Astrid didn't even listened. "Is it you, Hiccup?" Involuntarily her hands stretched out and cupped the cheek of the man in front of her.
Completely overwhelmed he froze as well, but then lifted his face out of her holding. He was visibly uncomfortable. Like for security he caught her wrists, just to make sure to hold them further away. "Sorry, but i don't know what you are talking about..."
That moment Astrid snapped back to reality. Shocked she pulled her arms back, the same moment she picked herself up and took a step backwards. Her eyes widened more in shock - if that even was possible.
"Excuse me!"
She took another step backwards and bowed helplessly. "I'm sorry. I confused you with somebody!" Without another look she turned around and ran away. She didn't even saw how Gobber caught the reins of a happily squealing Azra.
She had only on thing in her mind: Hiccup!
But this was absolutely impossible!
Hiccup was dead!
Hey there!
*hide remorsefully* I knoooooow! I promissed "Yes or No" - but I couldn't resist. T_T
This idea popped up one day and without writing it out of my head, I have no chance to write the other chapter out properly... ;_; I'm so sorry... (But now it's nearly done! *nodnod*)
Nevertheless: Reading my beloved fanfictions, I noticed I hadn't seen this theme *pointing to mine* for a long time. So I really hope to satisfy it... (We will see.)
As allways I ask for please being fair, the idea is the thing that counts, right? ;) And yes, my grammar is still horrible... :( Sorry again for this... I'm honestly trying to improve it.
So far: read you!
akira