Chapter 2

The Vikings stood around a large table in the main hall; high above on the roof was a gold statue of a dragon hanging from the strongest rope in the village. Stoic stood over the table with a large map spread in front of him.

"Either we finish them or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them!" He shouted for everyone to hear "if we find the nest and destroy it the dragons will leave! They'll find another home!" He slammed a knife into the corner of the map, where there were paintings of dragons flying around it; this was where the dragons lived. Where exactly was unknown.

"One more search before the ice sets in."

"But those ships never come back!" Spitleout, his brother and second in command, shouted. Stoic glared at his brother before turning back to everyone else "we're Vikings! It's an occupational hazard! Now who's with me?!"

The gathered crowd fell into silence with a few murmurs of "no thanks" or "I've gotta feed the kids" and the wimpy "I don't want to go!"

Stoic sighed while rubbing his temples, finally he looked up "all right then. Those who stay will have to look after Astrid." Immediately everyone's hands shot up. Stoic smiled at his cleverness "that's better."

Soon the room began to empty out and soon all that was left was Gobber and Stoic. "All right I'll pack my undies." Gobber said setting down his mug.

Stoic shook his head "oh no. I need you to stay here and train some new recruits."

Gobber groaned "great, and while I'm doing that Astrid can mind the shop! Lots of time to, hot metal, lots of fire, sharp objects. What could possibly go wrong?" Stoic sighed.

"What am I gonna do with that girl?"

Gobber took a quick sip from his drink before turning to his battle brother "you could put her in dragon training with the others." Suddenly he spat out his drink feeling an empty place on his gums with his tongue.

"No I'm serious" Stoic replied.

"So am I."

"She'd be killed the second you let the first dragon out of its cage!"

"It's because no one wanted to teach her after her parents died! Besides you don't know that!"

"Actually I do know that."

"No, you don't."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't!"

"Listen you know how Astrid is. Since the time she could crawl she's been. Different. She never listens, she has the attention span of a sparrow!" Her father and I took her and Hiccup fishing do you know what she did? She went hunting! For trolls!"

Gobber turned around sharply, waving his mug around in defense "trolls exist! They steal your socks! Only the left ones though what's with that?"

Stoic rubbed his temples.

"I mean when her mother was a lass."

Gobber sighed "Oh here we go."

Stoic ignored him "she was the same age as Astrid is now when she walked into dragon training with nothing but a rock and a shield! And do you know what happened?"

Gobber finally fished his tooth out of his mug. "She failed."

" She killed a Gronkle Gobber! Even as a child she always spoke about what she had to do what she had to become. She knew a Viking could level mountains, tame seas!" Stoic sighed before sitting next to Gobber "Astrid is not that girl…"

Gobber sighed "you can't stop her Stoic. You can only prepare her." He paused making sure his friend was listening. "I know it seems hopeless but the truth is since her parents died she's had no one to look after her and I won't always be around to protect her. She's going to get out there again. She's probably out there now!"


I own nothing, all rights go to Cressida Cowell and DreamWorks.

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