This is my SECOND update on this particular story today, and I'm glad so far, everyone seems to be enjoying the story. I wouldn't know, since I've only had one review on this story...but I figured if you guys didn't like it you would tell me. I don't know...

Anywho, I have only one shout-out right now:

QueenAurora: Me too! :)

Short shout-out, I know, sorry. :) Enjoy chapter 2! I am liking this story so far. :)

"Where are you taking me, Astrid?"

I frowned when he asked the same question for the seventh time since we took air. I shook my head.

"I already told you," I said. "I'm taking you to Gothi's."

"Gothi's," Hiccup repeated. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," I replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"Do I need to answer that question again, too?" I asked.

"I'm not sick!" Hiccup protested.

"Mmm hmm," I said. I shook my head instantly afterwards. "Nope. Not buying it."

"Agh!" Hiccup groaned. "Why didn't we take Toothless?"

"What's wrong with Stormfly?" I asked.

"I didn't say something was wrong with her," said Hiccup. "I simply asked a legitimate question."

"Yep," I said. "And I simply am not going to answer."

"That's rather annoying," Hiccup pointed out.

"Hiccup, I'm just worried," I said. "It's only been six months since...Alvin."

"I know, Astrid," said Hiccup. "I get reminded of that a lot."

"I bet you do!" I said. "It was pretty serious, after all. You could have died."

"But you know I hate it when people worry about me," said Hiccup. "I get that a lot, too."

"Because you deserve it, Dragon Boy, scaring us half to death nearly every other day," I said.

"Don't call me Dragon Boy," said Hiccup. "And it's not like I try to die almost every time I step outside."

"Well, you don't try not to," I said. "Obviously."

"Hey, I'm sorry," said Hiccup. He paused. "I don't recall asking your opinion."

"Because you didn't," I said.

Hiccup opened his mouth and put up a finger, ready to say something else, but he didn't. After a moment, he closed his mouth and let his hand drop. I smirked, almost without thinking about it.

"Fine, fine, you win," said Hiccup, tossing his hands up helplessly. I laughed at the motion.

We landed at Gothi's hut. After dismounting, I told Stormfly to wait for us down on the ground, since Gothi's place was built on a high-ish platform with not enough room for a dragon. Stormfly did so, and I turned and looked at Hiccup.

"So..." I started.

"I know what you're going to say," said Hiccup. He sighed. "Let's get this over with."

We turned and walked up to the front door. I knocked on it, hoping Gothi was there and not somewhere else. Gothi was there, however, and she gestured for us to come in.

We walked in and then closed the door. Gothi looked at us and shrugged; her way of asking what we were doing at her place.

"Hiccup's sick," I stated flatly.

"I RESENT THAT!" shouted Hiccup, raising a finger and his voice.

"Resent it all you want, Haddock," I smirked. "Doesn't change anything."

"Just because you think I'm sick doesn't change anything either, Hofferson," said Hiccup.

"Why'd you call me by my last name?" I asked.

"Oh, I thought we were playing the 'call everyone you know by their last name' game," said Hiccup. He shook his head. "Why'd you call me by my last name?"

"Because it sounds more complicated," I said.

"All it does is make it complicated, Astrid," said Hiccup.

"I could have called you by your full name," I offered. "How about that?"

"I wish you wouldn't," said Hiccup. "It's too long."

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third," I said.

Hiccup facepalmed and shook his head. I almost laughed, but I didn't. Gothi put up her hand, which I hoped meant "silence" and not "bring me a sword", because when Gothi raised her hand, it could have just as well mean either one of those two options.

"First of all," I started, hoping Gothi wanted me to explain, "he was coughing."

"I blame the wind," said Hiccup under his breath, just barely loud enough for me to hear it. I pretended I didn't and moved on.

"And then he had a fever," I said.

"I did NOT have a fever!" said Hiccup. "Your hand was FREEZING!"

Gothi pressed her hand to his forehead, and then nodded to me.

"Aha!" I shouted, fist-pumping. "Fever! I was right!"

Hiccup groaned in frustration as I gloated. "You all have cold hands in that case!" he protested. "Doesn't mean anything."

"Oh, it doesn't?" I asked, smiling almost evilly. "Can I take that as a challenge?"

"No, you cannot," said Hiccup.

Gothi ushered me out for a while so she could focus on Hiccup's examination. After about ten minutes, she let me back in. Hiccup was sitting on a bench, looking pale. I went over and sat next to him.

"You alright?" I asked.

"What?" said Hiccup. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just felt like I needed to sit down for a little while."

I was about to protest that it was more than that, when I looked to Gothi and saw she was scribbling stuff out on the floor.

"I don't know how to read your writing," I admitted when Gothi stepped away to let me translate. Obviously, she knew I didn't, because she pointed to the door.

"Oooh, okay, I'll go get someone who knows how to do it," I said. I stood up and walked back out the door, closing it behind me.

I whistled to Stormfly, and the Nadder came at my command. I jumped on her back, and ushered her down. I was going to go find Fishlegs since he was the most accurate at translating Gothi's writing.

I found Fishlegs in about ten minutes. He was with Meatlung, as usual, teaching her a new command. It was still snowing really hard, but I dismissed it at that particular moment.

"Fishlegs!" I called out, landing Stormfly and rushing over.

"Oh, hey," said Fishlegs. "What can I help you with?"

"Something's up with Hiccup," I explained as fast as I could without sounding like I was talking nonsense. "I took him to Gothi, but now I need someone to translate what she's written."
Fishlegs mounted Meatlung, and I mounted Stormfly, and the two of us were airborne in another half a second.

"I need to teach you how to read Gothi's writing," said Fishlegs.

"You probably should sometime," I agreed. "It's handy, I bet."

We landed on the platform, dismounted, and told our dragons to wait for us on solid ground. The two of us opened the door and walked inside.