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Chapter 4: Crash Storm

Astrid,

I break the surface of the ocean my hair sticking to my face as I take in deep breaths. Rain pours down on me and I scan the water looking for the other teens watching them all break the surface except one; Hiccup. He had unwillingly given it to us having to endure Snotlout's teasing for nearly an hour.

"Has anyone seen Hiccup!?" I demand and look at the other riders as they shake their heads water flying everywhere. His hands are bound you idiot! My eyes widen and I suck in a deep breath before I dive down towards the ocean looking through the blurry blackness that has become the water. I spot something steadily sinking and my eyes widen if possible, even more, I almost lose the precious air I've sucked in at the sight of Hiccup sinking through the murky blackness.

This is all my fault, it had been my idea to tie his hands together. Astrid you idiotic-how can you even walk in a straight line without falling flat on your face!? I push through the restless waves and grab his forearm my other hand jerking down to where a knife is in my boot. Generally I'll just use my axe but the weapon was on the boat. The boat that is now broken, smashed and sinking merrily to the bottom with this teen.

I rip the blade from my shoe and slice it down on the thick ropes wound around his thin wrists hoping to receive some sort of reaction from him. Nothing.

With panic propelling me and my own lungs screaming I shove to the surface and break it pulling Hiccup up with me. The rain beats down on me the force threatening to shove me back under the depths I just escaped from.

"Oh Thor!" Fishlegs squeaks as he spots Hiccup limply hanging in my arms.

"I can't keep us both up!" I shout towards the teens as the water starts to choke me. A hand grabs my upper arm and I whip my head around looking back at the twins as they both lean forward from off the large piece of driftwood they found and drag me onto it with them with Hiccup.

Fishlegs and Snotlout are already on it and I hardly give them any more than a glance before grabbing Hiccup's shoulders and shake him back and forth. "Hiccup! HICCUP!" I shout and watch his face.

No response.

Oh! Please! You can't be dead, I can't believe I just killed someone! Tuffnut moves forward and raises his hand before slapping the teen across the face. "TUffnut!" I exclaim my voice rising a pitch. Hiccup lets out several coughs, spitting out mouthfuls of water. He turns to the side hacking with the force to remove a lung or other important bodily organs. He lifts his head up and stares at us his eyes widening slightly.

"You...didn't let me drown." He mutters softly his voice hoarse but so quiet I nearly miss it from the thunder, rain and water rippling around us. I look at him in shock, of course we didn't let him drown! We're Vikings but were not heartless, or brainless, or soulless!

I purse my lips tightly before punching him across the arm, hard. He yelps in pain shooting into a full sitting position hand wrapping around my target as he looks at me with a disbelieving expression, "What! What was that for?" He demands.

I don't answer staring out at the ocean stretching out around us, "Do you think we're near any land?" I ask quietly and the other teens (minus Hiccup) twist around scanning around the large piece of driftwood for any nearby islands.

"Nope."

"Uh uh."

"I got nothing."

"This is bad." Fishlegs says finally and looks back at us, "I mean, there's bad and then there's really bad and this is really bad! Oh, what are our parents going to say!?" Fishlegs exclaims in a panicked rush.

Oh, my mom is going to ground me till I'm eighty four and then my uncle's going to double that time! I am never going to be able to leave the house again. Great.

"Nah, I think we'll be fine." Tuffnut says and I shoot him a dirty look.

"Yeah, totally." Ruffnut agrees and then her eyebrows lower in confusion the rain soaking her free hair to her skin and clothing. "Wait. Why?"

"Well, we're all alone on a raft, right?" Tuffnut asks.

"...Yes." Fishlegs says after a hesitation.

"Well, just call it a feeling, but it's the perfect time for a rogue sea beast to leap from the depths of the ocean and swallow us whole, picking us each off one by one." Tuffnut says and lifts up a hand one finger showing for emphasis.

"Yeah. That's a thought." Hiccup says sarcastically, he looks up at Tuffnut, faded eyes unimpressed, "Really instilling the confidence."

Thunder roars above us and I jump looking up at the sky as the rain starts to pour harder. Really!? Why! This isn't fair! We were just trying to help this stupid teenager who seems perfectly content drifting on this broken piece of the ship for the rest of the week. Ugh! I really wish I'd just let him take the boat and leave, the urge to tackle him is stronger than before but I don't. I don't know why, but I just don't. Maybe it's the fact that we're all soaking wet, cold, tired and know perfectly well that we could be on this raft for several days before we make any progress whatsoever on the whole land thing.

I sigh and tuck my head into my knees my braid falling apart and my soaking hair's falling in front of my face but I'm to tired and mentally worn to do anything about it. The wind picks up speed and I close my eyes tightly the rain making a soft metallic ting off my shoulder guards. I purse my lips tightly watching the silence fall between us.

Hiccup's fingers fiddle with the edges of his coat then his gloves and finally his other hand, seeming to be unable to stop moving. His eyes are closed as he sits cross legged his head bowed looking down at his prosthetic foot. I can't see his eyes but when I did see them for the first time is surprised me by just how dead they are. His spirit is still intact, and sarcasm, Thor he's sarcastic and I haven't even known him for two days yet. But behind the stubborn defiance, sarcasm, and raw spirit is nothing. It's scary.

What happened to bring that upon him?

From older men I can understand, but he looks maybe eighteen sixteen at the youngest. It's weird, and makes me curious, more than I should be. Thunder crackles overhead and I release a soft breath before burying my head in my knees again.

000o000

It's warm, dry, and feels oddly like little bugs crawling all over my face.

Wait. Bugs?! I snap my eyes open and jerk forward into a sitting position my hair falling in front of my eyes. I toss it from my face and look behind me my eyes widening with relief and joy. Land.

Sand.

I scramble to my feet and look around at the stretch of land, there's a forest thirty, forty feet ahead of me, the ocean is at my feet the sun setting merrily in the distance but the few rays still left warm my cold skin.

The boat.

I must have fallen asleep or something.

I whip around scanning for the remains of the wood that was our lifeline the last few hours and spot the other teens further down the side of the beach except for Hiccup. Oh, if he ran off, he better keep running; I am going to drag him back here by his ear. Twice.

"Guys!" I yell and run over to the other teens across the beach.
Tuffnut and Ruffnut are side by side helmetless and Ruffnut's long hair is loose long waves spreading across the sand. "Astrid go away." Tuffnut groans and rolls over.

I move forward and stare at them angrily before kicking Snotlout's shoulder. He jerks forward with a yelp of surprise ramming forehead with Ruffnut who whips backwards instinctively smashing into her brother. Tuffnut's thrown forward and hits Fishlegs and within five seconds they all sit up looking unhappy, but fully awake."Hiccup's gone." I say and point towards the empty beach.

"Well I say good riddance to him." Snotlout says and gets to his feet rolling his shoulder.

"Yeah, even as much as I don't really want to; I agree with Snotlout on this one." Fishlegs says and I give an annoyed breath before resting my hands on my hips. I guess they have a pretty good point, why am I worried about it anyway? We just have to find a way off this stupid island and since Hiccup is so dedicated to ditching us, we can leave him.

"You guys are right." I say after a few seconds of silence. "Let's just find a way off this island and get out of here." I add.

"Sure. I think the first thing we should do, is that of going back to the sleep." Tuffnut says and I groan gripping the bridge of my nose.

"Oh! We could try building a raft!" Fishlegs says with excitement perking up, "There's lots of trees here, we-we could build some rope and-" He starts.

"You'll sink like a rock to the bottom of the sea, mate." A voice calls out behind us. I whip around the other riders doing the same as Hiccup, tosses several pieces of wood onto the ground, small enough for firewood but big enough it could be something else entirely. He brushes his hands together and looks up at us.

"Wait. But you were gone." Tuffnut says and points at me, "She said so."

Hiccup shakes his head slightly his eyes briefly flashing with irritation. "How would I have gone? Tied sea turtles to my feet and rode them of into the sunset?"

"Yes! No-wait." Tuffnut says and pauses then shrugs, "Yeah I don't get it."

Hiccup leans down as we all move forward, he sets the sticks up in a fire building position and grabs a bottle from his coat pocket dumping a green slime all over the sticks before reaching onto his leg and grabbing a hilt of some kind and lifting it over the fire. He clicks a latch and I nearly leap backwards with shock as the gel lights aflame almost like an explosion.

"Whoa," Ruffnut breathes before she and her brother smash their heads together in celebration.

"That-that was amazing! How did you do that?" Fishlegs demands and sits down next to the flames lifting his hands over the fire.

Hiccup reattaches the blade to his leg and looks up as Snotlout rolls his eyes, "Who cares. All I know is that I was cold before and now I'm warm and toasty." He says sitting down next to the flames.

I watch them for a second before taking a spot next to Hiccup watching as he tenses slightly before seeming to have to will his body to remain calm and stoically stares at the fire. "Where do you guys think we are?" I ask after a few minutes of silence night falling upon us.

It was later in the night when we left on the boat last night, so we must have been on the island asleep all day or the storm was a lot longer than the hours it felt like, and it felt extremely long anyway.

"Dragon Island." Hiccup answers in a monotone and my eyes widen Fishlegs taking in a sharp breath.

"Dragon Island?" He repeats. This is bad, really bad. Wild dragons everywhere? How did we not get eaten or barbecued by one on the beach, we were easy prey for hours!

"Whoa, cool." Tuffnut says.

"No, not cool." Fishlegs corrects. "Do you know what this means!?" He demands.

Yes, it means we're going to be hunted across the entire isle for hours before being cornered and burned to death. I really, really wish I'd have some kind of sense and stayed on the dock. Impulsive is the last thing a warrior should be, uncle Finn would have thought it through even for a second, I just lept. Literally.

Tuffnut laughs, "No, not at all."

"But judging by your expression it's probably not something good." Ruffnut adds.

"I concur with that." Tuffnut says.

"Maybe something to do with the weather, or the sand." Ruffnut says. "Or perhaps it's just the idea that's causing him to panic."

"Oh, exactly sister!" Tuffnut agrees.

"Will you two please shut it! I can't hear myself think." Snotlout groans.

"It means we're going to die! Our fate is sealed! Sealed I tell you!" Fishlegs shouts. Thanks Fishlegs, really instilling the confidence. Seriously, if I wasn't panicking before, I am certainly not now. The riders break into panicked shouts, Snotlout mostly groans after those words.

"Oh this is bad."

"I'm hungry."

"Whoa! I hope they eat you first."

"Yeah, well I hope they eat you first so then I'll have something cool to watch as I die."

"We need a way off this island."

"To the open where all the sharks and sea dragons can get at us, great idea, Fishlegs."

"SHUT IT!" Hiccup shouts and all the voices die. He rises to his feet and stares at all of us, "By the way you're talking, they'll hear us. Tell me, you were unconscious for hours on that beach, how is it that none of you we're attacked?" Hiccup asks gesturing back to the beach wildly with his hands. I-uh..hmm. Wait. His sleeve shifts upwards at his wild hand movements revealing a deep brand on his wrist a deep red P. Pirate.

We rescued a pirate, twice! He's a pirate. Pirate, pirate, pirate! I can't believe we didn't just leave him to die on that stupid beach. "You probably disgusted them and they ran off." I snarl. Also rising to my feet.

"Astrid…" FIshlegs trails off.

Hiccup's gaze whips over to me eyes briefly registering shock. "What?" He demands.

"Pirate." I spit finishing my earlier words. Hiccup's and everyone else's gazes fly to his wrist where the brand is showing in full glory. Hiccup rips his hand down on the sleeve backing up slightly.

Pirates are not welcome among the Viking society, people think, oh, it's Vikings; pirates are the same thing. They're not. Pirates are mad thieves running around the Archipelago thinking they own the place and plundering and sinking ships. Kidnapping murdering and stealing everything. If it's a larger group they burn down islands. Berserkers, look like cheery orphan adopters compared to pirates.

"You're a pirate?" Fishlegs breathes.

"Yes." Hiccup answers simply with little feeling despite his wild eyes.

"Oh great, we finally rescue someone and it turns out they're crazy!" Snotlout groans. Hiccup shoots him a scowl and I death glare him. He lied. Of course, now I know why and I get it, doesn't mean I appreciate it.

"I'm not just a pirate mate," Hiccup says and pulls the edge of his sleeve down more his fingers curling around the edge.

"Really! What else do you do, can you-"

"Tuffnut!" Ruffnut hisses at her brother.

Wait, Hiccup...Hiccup..Hiccup...I feel like I've heard Stoick talking about that man before. Outcasts was somewhere along the lines as well. I reach forward and snatch his hand grabbing the fabric from his death grip and roll the rest of his sleeve up to his elbow. A thin piece of red cloth is wrapped around his upper forearm with a bird in the center.

"Freebird." I mutter. The Night Fury. The captain of the Night Fury. The ship that has single handedly wiped out several islands, robbed others to their knees and attacked Berk without mercy for a while. Rumor is the captain is an Outcast, but the Night Fury is hundreds of years old several names popping up as captain: Blackkilled, Whisperheart, Emptywind, and hundreds of others, Freebird being the most recent.

"Yes." Hiccup says and snatchs his wrist away from my death grip. "Satisfied?"

"Oh Thor." Fishlegs breathes.

"Oh." Tuffnut deadpans.

Hiccup stares at all of us for a second before he whips around and races towards the forest, the glint of his prosthetic quickly lost in the darkness of the night.

Hiccup,

I don't look back at them my only desire to get away. Stoick was bad enough when he found out, I was nearly seventy two percent sure he'd take my head off right then and there. My back pulses with pain from the wounds whip wounds but I just break through the forest trying to make as much ground between me and them as possible.

I'm sure Alvin will be pleased to know, that as his taunting promised, everyone immediately hates me. He had a long laugh pressing the brand to my skin a few years ago. Something catches my prosthetic and I slip forward falling on my hands and knees with a soft thump. I stare down at my fingers watching the dirt for a second before looking up towards the stars starting to twinkle unlike last night; I was beyond a little sure that the ocean was going to swallow us all and when the others slipped into sleep I didn't, couldn't, wouldn't.

Freebird.

How terribly ironic, I am many things, but free is not one of them.

Author's Note: Ugh, this chapter is one of those ones where you have like waves of: WOW I CAN'T BELIEVE I WROTE THAT! And then: Oh, I cant believe I wrote that you know? I cant decide if I hate it or not. :)

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