Astrid Hofferson was stuck. Totally and completely stuck. Squirming, wiggling, straining - none of it made any difference to the Deathsong's annoyingly-strong amber. With a frustrated sigh, she took a break from struggling with it, and just laid there, staring up at the empty sky. The sounds of the twins' bickering and Snotlout's complaining floated over to her, and she rolled her eyes. At least Fishlegs was being mercifully silent. Astrid continued to stare at the only patch of sky that she could see in her confined position, and her mind began to wander. Being stuck in the Deathsong's amber was maddening. But better her than Hiccup.

Huh, she thought suddenly, a contemplative frown appearing on her smooth features. When had she started thinking that?

"It's okay, Meatlug," Fishlegs comforted abruptly, his voice intruding on Astrid's pondering. The Gronckle whined quietly in response, and Astrid remembered, quite suddenly and inexplicably, her first encounter with the dragon. Dragon training, all those years ago.

"So, I guess it's just you and me, huh?" Hiccup had asked, nervously, as they stood side by side before the Gronckle. It was weird to think that that was Meatlug. But just seconds after the words left Hiccup's lips, Meatlug had fired at them, and Astrid, with her warrior's reflexes, had responded smoothly and efficiently.

"Nope," she told Hiccup. "Just you." And without a second thought, she rolled easily out of Meatlug's line of fire. Hiccup would take the fire, she knew. But better him than her. She was winning this thing.

It was odd, really, how immensely things had changed.

"Hiccup!" Astrid cried out. Her keen eyes had followed the Deathsong's movements with careful tracking, and she had seen what Hiccup - who was struggling to get Toothless free - had not. "It's coming for you!" she yelled. And even as the words left her lips, she was moving - moving without even giving conscious thought to what her body was doing. On what seemed like instinct, she ran. Ran towards Hiccup with her arms out, reaching wildly for him, and hoping fervently that she was fast enough.

As always, her finely-tuned battle skills served her well, and she reached him just in time. Arms splayed firmly out in front of her, she shoved him purposefully out of the way. Before he hit the ground, the amber was around her, uncomfortably hot and beginning to cool and harden with astonishing rapidity.

"Astrid!" she heard Hiccup cry. But then the Deathsong roared its haunting, musical roar, and Hiccup was smart enough to leave. She struggled against the amber as she heard his retreating footsteps, and despite the annoyance at her very, very stuck position, something like relief was running coolly through her veins. Better her than Hiccup.

Yes, it was odd, Astrid confirmed to herself, tuning out the sounds of Ruffnut's threats of bodily harm. Between then and now, her perspective had changed more than she ever thought it could. Her perspective on dragons, her perspective on life, and... her perspective on Hiccup. In what seemed so short a time, he had suddenly become... well, important. No longer was he someone to take the fire. Someone to be better than, someone to scoff at. No, things were different now. She was not sure exactly how it had happened, or when, but suddenly he was someone to protect. Someone to watch out for, someone to learn from, someone to respect. Astrid grinned to herself, despite their current predicament. It was amazing to think how greatly things had changed.

"Where's Hiccup?" Snotlout yelled out suddenly, loud enough to derail Astrid's train of thought. "I knew he'd leave us! I have to pee," he whined.

"He didn't leave us," Astrid told him calmly, rolling her eyes at his immaturity. Yes, it was odd how much things had changed. But some things didn't change at all.