Well hello there my fine readers, and welcome to my first ever chapter here on fanfiction! This is going to be some good old fashioned post-HTTYD2 angsty-ness, and I hope you like it. If you do, please leave a review for suggestions on what you'd like to see on this story and what you liked or didn't like. Now, on with the show!

Her axe splits the pine like butter, calling the crows out of their nest above with a resounding-

CRACK.

Sweat dripping down her back, Astrid looks up to the sky as dark shadows and light refractions play across her face.

Hiccup stood up unsteadily, his auburn hair ruffling in the breeze as the village applauded his bravery. The dragons shot fireballs of triumph into the sky, but their new leader had never looked more uncertain. She walked over, punching him gently in the shoulder.

"Told you." she spoke softly in his ear. He dragged his eyes away to look her in the eyes.

"You did not tell me." His voice was serious, but he couldn't help grinning crookedly.

"I did if you want me to kiss you." He opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a burly man approaching him. "Hello, Spitelout."

"Hello Chief. So, any plans on how we are going to survive the night?" Hiccup's expression immediately soured, sobering up in front of Astrid's very eyes. He took his hands out of hers and stood a little taller.

"Of course."

That had been several days ago. Taking a deep breath, she steps over to Stormfly to stroke her snout lovingly.

"C'mon girl, lets go get some dinner." At that last word her dragon perks up immediately, giving Astrid a toothy grin. She tries to reciprocate, smiling wanly.

The silence in the group was unnerving. Even the twins were subdued, scraping their bowls of soup clean. Astrid stared into her own as if it held all the answers of Valhalla itself. "Where is he?" she asked halfheartedly.

"Where do you think?" Snotlout replied after a moment of silence.

"Don't be like that-"

"Like what? It's barely been a week Astrid," his voice rose, betraying his frustration, and behind that, despair. "And look at us!" he gestured to the others, who looked away. "Do you really think Hiccup is doing much better? Don't you think he'd actually be here if he was?"

"He's strong-"

"He's a mess and you know it." He jabs a pudgy finger in her direction, not caring if she was going to break it or not. Astrid's comeback is interrupted as the noise in the hall dies just enough for her to hear it;

step- clunk, step- clunk.

"Speak of the devil." Snotlout mutters as he watches along with the rest of the Vikings. Hiccup hadn't been seen eating publically since the battle with Drago. He collapsed onto the bench next to Astrid, meeting their gazes evenly. He'd come prepared, she mused sadly.

The absence of the traditional Chief's cloak emphasised the hunch of his shoulders, which she surmised wasn't the singular cause of fatigue. No, this was the weight of grief, which had become his armour for the past week. His entire day was filled coping with the incessant needs of the villagers, and his insistence on continuing to create new building plans took him late into the night. She had even had to take Toothless flying, something that reminded her and her friends just how much of a toll Hiccup's new role was taking.

"Hey." She inwardly cringed at the insensitive lightness in her voice.

Fishlegs wolfed down his turkey leg to start a conversation, clearing his throat hurriedly. "So, Ruffnut... did you hear about the-"

"Uhhh, did I say you could talk to me?" Ruffnut leaned over to her brother, rolling her eyes.

"Idiot." She said loudly in his ear.

"Nice one, sis." They clunked heads affectionately. Well, Astrid assumed it was affectionate.

She mentally groaned as she glanced toward the newcomer. pointedly. Unfortunately, the notion was caught as Hiccup sighed, straightened, and looked to the rest of the group. "Look, guys... I appreciate you all looking out for me, really, but I'm fine." His tone left no room for argument- unless you were Snotlout.

The chief's cousin scoffed; "Save us your Yak Dung, Hiccup- you're not fooling any of us." Hiccup's watery smile looked more like a grimace with every passing second, his eyes guarded. "I'm not trying to-"

"Fool us? You're right. You're trying to fool yourself." The burly Viking leant across the table, his voice low. "You can try and pretend you're fine, Chief," that caused Hiccup to flinch, "but I've known you your entire life and I can see straight through yo-"

"Enough." Astrid snarled. She was hardly happy with Hiccup at the moment either, but even she knew that this was not the time or place. Hiccup's eyes hardened like their emerald colour; he stood abruptly, scraping the bench backwards with a screech that drew other Vikings' attention. "Wait!" She grabbed his hand on impulse. He turned to look at her with an expression that broke her heart. She turned to look at the others searchingly at the others' equally guilty expressions (minus Snotlout, who glared at the table) before facing her boyfriend again. "I'm- we're sorry, Hiccup. Whatever you need... we're here for you."

"...Thank you." He said stiffly, withdrawing his hand as if she had the plague before striding towards the grand carved doors of the hall. Astrid's pain was forgotten as those very same doors swung open with a mighty groan, amongst a hoarse cry of "CHIEF! CHIEF!".

Astrid gasped in horror; the limping messenger had three ragged cuts running diagonally across his face from left temple to the right side of his jaw. The blood had soaked into his brown tunic, his matching hair hanging over his blue eyes as he staggered. Gobber and Astrid stood simultaneously; mirroring expressions of shock. Hiccup stepped away from the boy in horror- he was only a few years younger than himself. The boy in question held out a tattered scroll to him shakily. He breathed the word; "Run."

His body hit the floor. Everyone turned to their chief in dread. Hiccup took a breath of silence, reaching for the dropped parchment and unravelling it with shaking fingers.

"Get him to Gothi." The tone of his voice was flat. He turned. "Now!"

It was as if the room had been unfrozen. Young and old alike sprung to action like the ocean's tide, never having seen Hiccup like this before. Gobber fought through the chaos hook and hand, futilely trying to reach his former apprentice.

"Hiccup!" He yelled. The person in question stubbornly refused to acknowledge him, disappearing out the doors of the hall. Gobber watched him dejectedly, turning away before noticing Astrid watching him. The message in his blue eyes was clear.

'You know what attacked that boy.'

'Dragons'.

I'm sorry if this chapter was quite short, I'm still getting into the flow of things. What do you think was on that scroll?