With Hiccup's limitations on her exploration, Astrid had grown incredibly bored with her surroundings.

In her alcove, she kept track of days passed by carving lines into the wall. Counting ten, crooked lines scrawled into the rock, she felt so much like Brynhild that she grew angry at the memory of Ruffnut being chosen to play her in a Snoggletog pageant from years ago.

Unlike Brynhild, though, Astrid had done nothing to deserve banishment to this hidden world. Unlike Brynhild, she had done nothing to fail her chief. Astrid had followed every order, killed every dragon that crossed her path, and thrown herself in harm's way a thousand times to protect the people of Berk. Yet, she had been banished to this plane, in the same manner, Brynhild had been banished to Midgard.

After being chased from the forest, Astrid stuck near the safety of her cave, trapped in a metaphorical ring of fire by the ever-watchful dragons of Hiccup's retinue.

Hiccup himself, hadn't crossed her path in days, although the sound of his hammer had kept her awake all hours of the night.

Making himself scarce, Astrid only saw the man when he delivered meals to her prison.

xXx

Gods, Astrid was bored.

Wherever she went, dragons followed. They had grown more cautious of her since the day in the forest. When she explored the crystal meadows, they were there, mother dragons tucking their hatchlings under their wings and hissing at her as she passed. When she explored the tunnels or the hot springs, the dragons were there, watching from the shadows. Every step, every breath, they reported back to their master.

Astrid had contemplated another escape attempt. However, without wings, the only option she had seemed to be the forest opening that she had been banned from approaching. It wasn't an impossible option, but every time she drew too close to boundary lines, a dragon would swoop down and chase her back to the main cave, teeth and claws at her back.

xXx

Two nights after Astrid had been chased away from the forest, Hiccup had brought her daily rations to the cave. Setting the wrapped parcel on the ground, he caught Astrid's eye.

"You can just hand it to me, you know," Astrid said, leaning against the wall and staring down at him.

Tensions high from her attempted murder, Hiccup stood up, regaining the high ground. "I didn't see you."

She nudged the wrapped fish with her foot. "This isn't sustainable."

"No? Why not?"

"Because I'm sick of fish. You can't keep feeding me fish."

Every meal for the past two weeks had been fish.

Any fat that Astrid had back on Berk had been lost from the low-calorie diet. To keep weight on her bones, she had resorted to intensive strength training to ensure her muscles didn't atrophy from lack of use or proper nutrients. If she were to escape, she would need to be strong.

There had to be something besides fish on the island. A stray chicken. A boar. Anything but dragon-fire-roasted chicken. Astrid refused to believe that Hiccup had gone the past five years with only fish to eat—although it would explain why he was so skinny.

"There has to be something else to eat."

"There isn't."

"I don't believe that. What do you eat?"

"Fish."

"For every meal?"

"No, but I haven't exactly had time to visit a port for supplies." Hiccup said, tone growing shorter with each word.

"Well, I don't want fish."

"Then starve?" He offered, raising an eyebrow at her.

Astrid huffed, angry and child-like. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him. The sight only made Hiccup laugh.

"Look, Astrid. It's there. It's food. Take it or leave it, but I can't make you eat."

"Why can't you just drop me off in a village?" Astrid asked. "I could get something real to eat. And it's clear that you don't want me here."

"It's too dangerous," Hiccup said as though it were obvious. "I know you, Astrid. You wouldn't stay in whatever village or market I dropped you in. You would immediately sail back to Berk, gather every warrior, and lead them here to an untimely death."

Astrid snorted. "You think you could take on all of Berk? Sure, you have dragons, but we've been killing dragons for hundreds of years."

"There are things here you don't understand." He warned.

Astrid was reminded of the eerie way the forest of dragons had froze the other day. Brushing it off, she bit back at him. "Dragons. That's what's here. Dragons and a dragon-loving fool."

Hiccup didn't press the conversation, but Astrid did. Taking a step toward Hiccup, she puffed up her chest.

"I can't just stay here for the rest of my life."

"No, you can't." Hiccup agreed.

"Well, then what are you going to do?"

Hiccup shrugged, "If you keep refusing to eat, I won't have to do anything."

Astrid seethed, but when Hiccup was out of sight, she scooped up the roasted cod. After all, as a warrior needed to keep her strength up.

xXx

Bathing had become an eagerly anticipated part of Astrid's daily routine. On Berk, it was customary to bathe once a week. But here, in the dragons' caves, Astrid was constantly finding herself filthy. Sleeping on the floor would do that to a person, she supposed.

It also helped to pass the time. Without a village's worth of chores to be done, Astrid spent many days consumed by boredom. Exercising and exploring could only stimulate her for so long. Too prideful to ask Hiccup for something to entertain herself with, she had taken to bathing to pass the long hours. The water at her favorite hot spring was always pleasantly warm and it was one of the few ways to escape Hiccup and his dragons' eyes.

Turning the corner and heading down the tunnel that led to her favorite hot spring, Astrid was shocked to find the hulking shape of Hiccup's Night Fury curled around the rim. Its saddle was placed off to the side, and for the first time, Astrid was able to study the dragon's missing tailfin. She had noticed the red, artificial tailfin the night of her sacrifice, but she hadn't given much thought to how Hiccup controlled it. Now, seeing the bundle of wires, leather, and canvas, Astrid realized the man had crafted an intricate pedal system for the beast.

Beyond its form, the goose-honking of Hiccup's voice could be heard. Listening in on his conversation, Astrid frowned. He sounded frustrated, but the quick mix of Norse and Draconic was too much her to follow.

The Night Fury gave a quick bark, signaling he knew of her presence. Hiccup's conversation came to a stall.

Looking over its back at her and lifting its tail, Hiccup's skinny form was revealed. Blushing, he watched her watching him. Skin pink from the heat of the water, Hiccup's scars and burns stood out against his freckled chest. Little cuts and burns dotted his torso, but Astrid's focus was on the dark scar that ran from his right armpit to his left hipbone. Carving just under his breastbone and across his stomach, Astrid was surprised that whatever had gotten ahold of him hadn't killed him.

If only.

Hiccup waded to the edge of the spring, obscuring his body in an act of modesty. "You bathed yesterday."

"I did… I bathe every day."

"That's a bit excessive, don't you think?" Hiccup folded his arms on the rim of the hot spring, the freckles along his shoulders dancing with the movement.

She shot him a look. "Unlike you, I don't have a bed of furs to sleep in. I sleep in the dirt."

His expression softened, "You could have asked for a blanket or two."

"Would you have given me one?"

"If you asked nicely, yeah." Hiccup rested his chin on his crossed arms. He shuffled awkwardly in the water, watching her with a mixture of caution and embarrassment. At his side, his dragon turned away from Astrid, choosing to chew on Hiccup's prosthetic leg with its gummy mouth.

The pair stood in awkward silence, neither knowing what to say to the other. Hiccup looked tense, like a snake ready to strike or a dragon ready to flee.

Astrid supposed it was fair, their previous encounters hadn't been friendly to say the least.

The Night Fury broke the tension by warbling.

Assuming it to be a question, Astrid watched as Hiccup's face turned even redder and he splashed water at his dragon. Drawing back, trying to wipe the water away like a giant cat, the Night Fury grumbled.

Astrid leaned back on her heels, "How did you learn to speak with them?"

"It's just another language," Hiccup said shrugging. "Spend enough time around them and you'll pick it up too."

She wrinkled her nose at that. She couldn't imagine speaking the devil's tongue. She wouldn't want to. It was practically treason.

Catching her expression, Hiccup frowned. "I'm sure you've already begun to notice different tones. Dragons sound different if they're happy or angry or scared. Just like people." His voice was relaxed, and Astrid could hear hints of encouragement in his tone.

"Dragons aren't people." She said, cutting him off. "I won't ever be fluent in their tongue."

"Well, yeah…But I'm not exactly fluent either."

That took Astrid by surprise. She had seen Hiccup hold entire conversations with his Night Fury. She had seen the Dragon Master lead raids without speaking a word of Norse. Even on the night of her sacrifice, he had spoken in Draconic to the Terrible Terror.

"You're not?"

"No, not at all. So much of their language is expressed through body language. Leg jokes aside, I'm missing a lot of the required limbs. Without a tail or wings or movable ears, I sound like a drunken hatchling."

The Night Fury laughed in that eerie too-human-yet-draconic way that sent chills up Astrid's spine.

"But you command them. I've heard you do it."

"First off, I don't command anyone. The dragons listen because they respect me. I gave them my trust, so they gave me theirs. Secondly, actions and feelings are easy to express. It's the complex ideas that get lost in translation."

Hiccup's hands reached out, grabbing his Night Fury's head. Holding the dragon by his gums, he swayed the head from side to side. "But you understand me all right. Don't ya, bud? Don't ya?"

The Night Fury, teeth retracted, thumped its tail excitedly and licked Hiccup's torso. Hiccup drew back, groaning. "Come on, bud! You know that doesn't wash out! And I just bathed!"

Astrid wanted to turn around and leave, but she couldn't make herself move.

Hiccup dunked his body under water, trying to rid himself of the dragon saliva. Then, resurfacing, Hiccup looked around the tiny space, before settling on Astrid again. He looked as surprised as she was that she was still there.

Looking for something to say, Hiccup patted the rim of the hot spring. "The water is full of iron."

Tilting her head, she peered at him and the odd, red-colored water. "And?"

"And that's why it's red. You're always watching it. I, well, I thought you would be curious." He shrugged his shoulders and the room grew tense with silence again. After a few moments of awkward staring, Hiccup coughed into his hand. "Can you, uh, can you turn around?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't worry, I won't stab you in the back with your own weapon. I just want to get out. Is that okay?"

Realizing the meaning behind his words, Astrid flushed bright pink. Beneath the water, hidden only by her angle of sight, Hiccup was completely naked. She had caught him in a moment of vulnerability, and if not for the Night Fury, Astrid could have easily incapacitated the one-legged man. As it was, though, she could do nothing but look away, ears burning.

Spinning on her heels, Astrid turned away and focused her eyes on the wall in front of her. From the hot spring, she heard the splash of Hiccup pulling himself from the water, his Night Fury grumbling as more water sloshed onto the rocks. Hearing the rustle of fabric, Astrid could picture him pulling on his clothes, likely using his Night Fury for balance.

She heard the click of his prosthetic attaching. The dragon's saddle was next, but Astrid didn't risk turning around.

Putting a soggy hand on her shoulder, Hiccup grinned. "Hot spring's all yours. Don't drown in it."

"Nice of you to care," She said, shrugging his hand off.

"Of course, I care. I wouldn't want your body to contaminate the water."

He deserved the punch to his arm, but Astrid did not deserve the tail swipe from Toothless.

xXx

That evening, when Hiccup left her nightly meal at the mouth of her cave, Astrid was determined to starve him out. Sick of fish and sicker of the island, Astrid would refuse to eat until he took her to a village. Staring down at the fish, her mouth watered at the idea of sitting in an inn or mead hall and enjoying a bowl of hot stew.

As the cod cooled, the smell filled the cave and attracted hungry dragons. One by one, they would creep to the edge of her den. Sniffing at the fish, their large eyes would stare at the temptation, but ultimately, after seeing Astrid, left the fish alone. Except for the two-legged, wingless dragon that liked to spy on Astrid while she bathed. Bolder than its flock-mates, the dragon entered her cave without hesitation, eyeing the fish hungrily.

Emerald green and deep red scales shimmered as the dragon danced around the fish. At the end of the dragon's tail, a large stinger protruded.

The dragon sniffed at the fish, nose nudging at the wrappings.

"Go away," Astrid chided, waving the dragon away with her arms. She had no intention to eat the fish, but she needed it to stay where it was so Hiccup could see that she wasn't eating it.

The dragon tilted its oblong head at her, nostrils opening and closing rapidly as it took in her scent. Then, hissing at her, it grabbed the fish in its tiny claws and dashed away with surprising speed.

"Hey!" Astrid called after it, "Bring that back! It's mine!"

At her call, the dragon stopped several yards away. Looking back at her, it blinked its yellow eyes.

Astrid rushed from the cave, hoping to steal back her dinner, but the dragon stayed just out of her reach. Circling, it growled in its throat.

Ignoring the warning, Astrid lunged forward, hoping to grapple the fish from its arms. At half her size, the dragon shouldn't have stood a chance.

But the dragon was quick, almost as quick as the Night Fury. Striking out, its tail bit into Astrid's side.

Feeling a sharp pain, her veins were filled with ice. Crippling. Freezing. Paralyzing. Every muscle constricted.

She tried to cry out, but her throat wouldn't respond. Terror struck her, taunts of "Frozen Finn Hofferson" burning in her memory. She wasn't supposed to freeze up when facing a dragon. She was fearless. A Hofferson!

Unable to control her balance, she toppled over face landing in the dirt. Above her, the dragon sniffed at her hair and clothes, a mocking chortle in its throat. Then, settling down at her side like a scaly bird, it tucked into her dinner.

xXx

"Now, what have you done Quickclaw?" She heard Hiccup ask from somewhere beyond her line of sight. The dragon had nestled closer to her. Resting its large in the curve of her side, Astrid could feel the gentle rise and fall of its chest. It lifted its head to look at Hiccup.

His shadow fell over her, giving her the image of him resting his hands on his hips. He was peering down at the dragon accusingly, like a mother who had caught their toddler playing with something they shouldn't.

Astrid tried to call out to him, but everything was ice.

Then, properly noticing her predicament, Hiccup laughed. The noise filled the entirety of the cavern, drowning out the constant draconic background noise. Watching his shadow, Astrid could see him double over, arms wrapping around his middle.

Catching his breath, Hiccup straightened up. Releasing a long sigh, he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Quickclaw's a Speedstinger." He supplied, allowing the dragon to nuzzle his hand. "His venom will wear off in a few hours. You'll just have to stick it out."

He sat down in front her, pulling a leather-bound sketchbook from his satchel. Together, they sat in silence for hours. Although she couldn't move, Hiccup had done her the favor of sitting in her line of sight. Sketching in his book, he paid her no mind.

Charcoal scratching against the paper, Hiccup drew until he seemed content with the work. Turning the book to face Astrid, he revealed a likeness of her curled up with the Speedstinger. Unable to scream at him, she hoped her eyes did her anger justice.

Hiccup laughed again. "It really is funny."

…

"We don't get bards here very often. I have to have something to entertain myself with! Lighten up, Hofferson. Quickclaw's harmless."

Astrid wanted to cuss, to strangle the dragon nestled in her side and throttle the dragon lover who refused to help her.

Unable to move, she stewed in her anger, plotting revenge.

Her thoughts of sweet and justified revenge were prematurely interrupted by Hiccup jumping to his feet frantically. Rushing to step over Astrid, he shouted as a panicked Stormcutter landed near her, its four wings blowing dirt over her body and its giant feet shaking the ground with its stomps. Quickclaw darted away, frightened by the sudden intrusion.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Hiccup reaching out a hand to calm the dragon. Dark blue with turquoise etchings, the owl-like dragon screeched in fear. Stroking the dragon's head, Hiccup responded in slow, calming Draconic.

As fast as it had arrived, it was picking itself from the ground and disappearing.

Hiccup seemed unconcerned with Astrid. Even though she was on the ground, dirt from the dragon's departure in her eyes and nose, he paid her no mind.

Stepping over her form and cupping his hands around his mouth, he screeched, loud and draconic. Sounding so much like his Night Fury, Astrid was astounded that a human could make such a noise.

His Night Fury was at his side in an instant, Hiccup swinging into the saddle. Then, they were gone, leaving Astrid confused and alone and frozen.

xXx

Waking the next morning, stiff, but in the comfort of her den, Astrid could see no sight of Hiccup. The only indicator that he had returned to the dragon sanctuary after the previous day's frantic departure, being he wrapped rations package at the mouth of the cave. Starving from a day without food, Astrid ripped into the parcel to find a generous portion of dried yak, cheese, and bread.