Chapter 9

Sick For Love

Astrid, Hiccup and Snotlout flew back to Berk and landed on the docks. Stoick was waiting for them all morning. "Son, you're finally here!" he exclaimed and pulled his son into a tight Viking hug. "Dad, I can't breathe," the thin boy spluttered as his face turned blue from lack of oxygen. Stoick released his son and smiled. Hiccup smiled back.

Snotlout helped Astrid to take off her dragon and stand on her feet. "So, did you find anything there?" the chief asked as all of them walked towards the village. "Nah, it was a waste of time," Hiccup mumbled under his breath and huffed. Astrid lowered her head and Stoick petted his son on his back showing sympathy and compassion.

Snotlout coughed. "H-How's Ruffnut?" he asked the great chief and the man flinched. "Uh…she'll be okay" Stoick answered and lowered his gaze. Astrid raised a brow and glanced at Snotlout. "What?! It's not that I CARE!" he furrowed and walked away proudly. Astrid smirked.


"So, you're telling me that she's been comatose for two days?! But you said it was just a fever!" Snotlout yelled at as all of them were waiting outside the Elder's house. Astrid was sitting on a rock resting her leg, Hiccup was leaning to the wooden wall of the house, Tuffnut was sharpening a stick nervously and Snotlout was walking up and down yelling at almost everyone, especially Fishlegs. "Snotlout relax!" groaned Astrid and glared at him. "Ruff will be okay. Why do you even care so much?! She's not your girlfriend after all," the Hofferson girl mocked and smirked. Snotlout frowned and went inside pushing Fishlegs out of his way. "He so has a crush on her," Astrid crossed her arms and the others glared at her. "What?" she exclaimed and huffed, shaking her hair out of her eyes.

Snotlout was sitting next to Ruffnut's bed waiting for her to wake up. The Elder walked in and smiled. "Why won't she wake up?" he glanced at the old woman and then back at Ruffnut. She put her slim hand on the boy's shoulder and grinned. "Okay, it's not that I care!" he stated and stood up. The Elder furrowed and looked at the boy. He huffed, "Well, okay, we might have done something back there…". The woman stood looking amused, with one eyebrow cocked. "NO, NO! It's not what you think, Elder! No!" he said a little stressed and blushed, "We would never!" he continued and the Elder rolled her eyes and left the room. "Wait! Where are you going?!" the boy asked and the old woman shut the door as she walked out.

Snotlout was rather worried. Why would Ruffnut get sick? Okay, they spent a day swimming with the others and another one kissing in the lake, but he would expect her to get a cold or the flu. Though, she was comatose, with a paler complexion and cold hands. He was scared. However, he had a feeling, a strange feeling something had happened that night. He was struggling to remember but he couldn't. Everything was a blur. Hiccup knocked the door and walked in, "Snotlout, it's lunch time. We're going at the Great Hall, are you coming?" the boy asked and Snotlout nodded leaving Ruffnut behind.


*flashback*

It was night; the warmest and cutest night of all. Snotlout and Ruffnut were taking a leisurely stroll along the river bank on Dragon Island. "It was nice today, wasn't it Ruff?" Snotlout asked and glanced at her. "Sure was!" she replied and mirrored herself in the crystal water as they were stepping along the bank. "You know…what if the others notice we're missing?" he asked and she glared at him. "Why don't you stop worrying too much?" she huffed and stopped. Snotlout lowered his gaze and cracked a slight smile. "Hey, how about taking a break for a while?" she suggested and both of them reclined under a tree.

The cove looked wonderful under the moonlight. The stars were shining and the fireflies were dancing playfully on the water creating different forms of animals and shapes. The two of them chuckled to such a great view. "You were right babe, night strolls are great," Snotlout stretched his arms and they crept around her shoulder hugging her softly. She flinched and sat up looking him in the eyes. "First, stop calling me babe, it makes me wanna throw up and second-" her words were cut off by a noise. "Human steps!" Snotlout exclaimed and both of them stood up. They weren't worried if they would get caught. Besides, someday their friends had to know. "Who could be?" Snotlout asked and clenched his spear. Ruffnut shook the dust off her tunic and shrugged.

Suddenly, a dragon's growl echoed. "Dragons!" both of them whispered in unison and hid behind a bush. A woman was sitting on a boulder petting a strange dragon on the head. "Oh, my Cloudjumper," she huffed and looked at the stars, "My poor Hiccup has been searching for me for a whole week! We should have never come to that island," a tear trickled down her cheek. The dragon cooed and snuggled up to her chest making her chuckle. "Well, the good thing is that he's leaving in two days. However, still, we have to take care of ourselves and hide. That Astrid is a pretty good hunter,". The dragon agreed with a nod and growled.

Ruffnut sneezed.

"Ruffnut, be quiet!"

"I am allergic to cranberry, you idiot!"

"I didn't know girls can be allergic!"

"Of course they can!"

Their argument was cut off by the dragon's roar, which echoed pretty close to them. The two Vikings raised their heads and, to their surprise, a dragon was standing in front of them staring at them furiously. Ruffnut blinked. "Hey, you lady!" yelled Snotlout, "Why don't you tell your dragon to back off?!". Ruffnut glanced at her and then back to her friend. "I don't think she will, Snotlout…". The woman put her mask on making the others flinch. "Go away and tell nothing to your friends," she commanded and hit her staff. The dragon approached them menacingly and kept staring at them.

"Oh we will go back! Hiccup has to learn that there's a crazy woman wandering around Dragon Island, that's for sure!"

"Snotlout, shut up!" Ruffnut shoved him with her elbow as her eyes were stuck at the dragon.

"Ruff stop!" he jerked his hand and glared at the woman, "Who are you? What are you doing here?! Why are you even here?!". The woman's eyes were twitching behind her mask from stress and worry. "Cloudjumper!" she yelled and the dragon started to flap his wings. "That's right! Go back! Chicken!" the boy yelled ecstatically as the woman climbed on the dragon and left.

Snotlout turned at Ruffnut, who was staring at him inquiringly. "What?" he shrugged and went on to catch her hands. "You're such an idiot!" she pulled away and turned to leave. Suddenly, gases filled the place. Snotlout flinched and placed his arms in front of his eyes protectively. "Ruff, where are you?!" he yelled as he staggered through the trees. "Snotlout!" she cried back and coughed. Snotlout clutched on a tree and slowly collapsed on the ground murmuring Ruffnut's name and trying to keep conscious. However, he didn't get a reply. Everything became a blur and finally he passed out.

*end of flashback*


Ruffnut was tossing and turning on her bed sweating and burning from fever. The Elder dashed into the room and her eyes widened. She quickly grabbed a wet towel and placed it on the girl's head. The girl sighed in relief and coughed. The Elder's eyeballs were moving like crazy as she was waiting for her to wake up. Ruffnut blinked and her blue eyes opened wide…

So that's chapter 9, I hope you liked it. Leave a review if you want and of course, follow, favorite, blah, blah,blah. Next chapter coming soon. At last, some Rufflout! ;)