Uniting the Tribes 9
"Alright, now this is how we fly fish…Hiccup? Hiccup what are you doing?"
Hiccup's head popped up from where he was bent over a hollow log with big wide eyes and a serious look. "There's a troll in here," he said in a matter-of-fact voice that made Stoick raise a bemused brow and saunter over to him.
The large chieftain sauntered over his twelve year old, shaking his head at the boy's antics. "Son, aren't you getting a little old for this?"
Hiccup shook his head. "I'm serious, Dad. This isn't like the last time…or time before that. There's really one here, I swear! See?" He peered upside down into the log once more, making little clicking sounds like Gobber had taught it much to his father's horror. "It's way there." He made some more clicking and stuck his arm inside, hoping it would come to him.
"Hiccup," Stoick sighed, kneeling next to his boy. "There's no such thing as…"
"OW!" the boy cried, yanking his hand out and sticking his injured fingers in his mouth.
Stoick grabbed Hiccup and yanked him away from the log as the creature – not a troll but rather a little red Terrible Terror – crawled out of the log with an angry little scowl and trying to look threatening even though it was no bigger than a small Terrier. Stoick went to grab it, ready to rip it apart for hurting his son but Hiccup jump in front of him with a cry.
"It's a baby!" he cried, both frightened by the tiny dragon and intrigued and not willing to take a life even if said dragon just burnt his fingers.
His cry mixed with Stoick's threatening demeanor was enough to make the Terror fly off with an angry shriek. Hiccup wrapped the fingers of his good hand around his father's as he suckled the burnt tips of his fingers, happy to spare at least one dragon a horrid death at the hands of Stoick the Vast. His father only sighed and led him back to the lake. It seemed he was doing that more and more lately and Hiccup wondered if he was in trouble for letting the little dragon go rather than killing it as any other Viking would.
Hiccup was small for his age and his father could easy pick him up without any effort and he did so the moment they reached his boulder perch. He sat down and placed his son on his lap. "Son, we're at war. Vikings don't allow their enemies to escape. That Terrible Terror can follow us home and attack you in your sleep. These creatures are treacherous, horrid things. You need to stop chasing dreams and start focusing on the here and now. One day you will be chief and you will have to protect our people from dragons. It's what your mother would have wanted," he told his child as he brushed back Hiccup's shaggy auburn hair. "You're not a little boy anymore. Soon you'll be a man. You need to know where your loyalty lays."
Hiccup nodded, not wanting to disappoint his father or be seen as a freak any more than he already was by the other kids. Besides, if it was something he mother would have wanted then it was his duty to honor her wish, wasn't it? He never really knew his mother and only had vague images of a pretty auburn haired woman smiling at him or singing him to sleep at night. And if she were still with them he would never want to see her upset so he agreed to be the best Viking he could be.
It was a lot harder than Hiccup ever expected. He tried, he really did but curiosity was both a curse and a blessing for him. He couldn't help but search for Trolls when in the woods or on an adventure with his Dad and he didn't really like dragons at first and definitely couldn't kill one no matter how hard he tried. The disappointment and hurt in his father's eyes when he first learned of Toothless still haunted Hiccup even after Stoick learned to accept the Nightfury as not only Hiccup's best friend but pretty much a second son. That was the year Stoick and the rest of Berk – most at least – came to respect and appreciate dragons.
The last fishing trip they had together was only a few weeks before his death. They were at that same lake as they were eight years earlier but many things had changed in those years. Fishing wasn't any easier no matter how much Stoick tried. He would cast his line – that part was easy – but the moment he snagged a fish and tried reeling it in either Toothless or Sharpshot would go pounding into the water after it, trying to be helpful in their own way and usually gobbling it down with happy gummy smiles. Stoick's dragon, Skull Crusher, only watched them in annoyance from a nice warm rock with a grumpy look before curling up and taking a nap. Stoick only shook his head in amusement and gave yet another warning yell to leave his fish alone and tried again.
This time Hiccup sat on a small log and fished alongside him but unlike his father he didn't care if the dragons took his fish. In fact he used the fish he caught to tease his two dragons and laughed as they splashed around trying to catch the poor fish flapping about. He laughed when Toothless won and gobbled up the fish only to regurgitate it a few seconds later when the smaller dragon whined.
At some point Stoick reached out and ruffled Hiccup's hair like he used to when the now young man was a boy. "You did good, son," he said with pride as he watched their dearest allies and closest friends. "I couldn't be prouder. You're going to be a great chief. Better than me I reckon. The pride of Berk." He smiled at his son. "My pride."
"Dad…" Hiccup whispered, the memory of his father's smiling face that day was only outmatched by the one he gave the day Hiccup had inadvertently reunited him with Valka after twenty years. That day, that teary smile, that look of love and determination as Stoick sacrificed himself to save his only child would forever be burned into his mind and Hiccup reached out as if it was happening all over again. "No…stop…"
His eyes fluttered open and at first all his saw was a blurry shadow. He pressed the butt of his hand to his forehead. "Dad?" he whispered again as he struggled to sit up but a large hand pushed him down until he was once more lying flat on his back. He mumbled an oath but the man behind the hand was far too strong.
"Don't drink often do you, lad?" a deep husky voice joked. It sounded all wrong to be his father's but he still held a little hope as he fought against the dizziness.
"Huh…" Well that was intelligible. He tried again. "Wh…what happened?" His eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to focus. Wow, his head was woozy. He ran a hand over his face. Maybe lying down was a good idea. Well at least until a big sloppy tongue began licking him. "Ewe…ah Toothless!" he whined, shoving that big head away. He began giggling as his dragon nudged him, trying to get him to get up and play but when one large paw accidentally hit his injured side Hiccup cried out in pain and curl protectively over the injury. Toothless crooned in concern and nosed his cheek gently. "I'm okay, bud. I'm okay."
"No, you're not, lad," that voice said again and finally Hiccup was able to piece together just who's voice he was hearing. It wasn't his father although the frame of the shadow was still roughly resembled his. "Do you need a hand?"
"Can't I just lay here to morning?"
Alvin gave a snort of laughter. "Now you sound like your father at your age! Come on." He reached out and hauled the young chief to his rather wobbly feet. Hiccup stumbled and fell against him causing the large man to laugh merrily as he wrapped an arm under the young man's, careful of his injured side as Snotlout – who was the only one to hear him when he called for help only because he had gone outside to feed Hookfang – scooped up his cousin's armor.
"I knew you couldn't handle your alcohol," Snotlout teased as he came up on Hiccup's other side. He watched his cousin with growing concern as he limped next to Alvin, allowing the big man to touch him when normally he kept his distance. And he looked ill, more than he should after only a few pints of mead. Hiccup wasn't a big drinker but he could usually hold it better than this. But then the way Hiccup was holding his side there might be much more wrong than he first think.
Alvin took Hiccup to the make shift infirmary rather than Gobber's house where the young chief and his mother had been living since their home was destroyed. For the most part Hiccup tried walking in on his own power but his footing was unsure and his left leg kept giving out and after the third time Alvin simply scooped him up and carried him the rest of the way ignoring his protests. Once they were inside he placed the protesting, wigging form in the cot furthest from the entrance where it was unlikely that anyone would notice him – there was no need for the gathered chiefs to know of the boy's injury at this time – and called for one of the medics to come and check him out. While they waited he instructed Snotlout to help him remove Hiccup's shirt.
"Serious, I'm fine," Hiccup objected, patting the hands away from him and trying to do it himself but that didn't go as planned and the need to vomit became all consuming.
"Bucket," Alvin ordered, pointing to one just behind Snotlout.
Snotlout knew this routine. He had gone through numerous winters where Hiccup would get violently ill so he immediately shoved the bucket under Hiccup's chin and looked away. "You owe me, dragon boy."
"Uh huh," Hiccup grumbled once he was done. He wiped his chin and pushed the bucket back with a soft pathetic moan. He let Alvin take off his shirt and then lay down, feeling worse than he had in a long time. "Sweet Thor, I feel like crap."
"You look it, too," Snotlout teased, making a face as he put the bucket aside but the rancid smell was quickly forgotten as he looked at the nasty bruise that marred Hiccup's side from just below the hip bone up to his ribs. It was darker against his ribs and hip where the bolas must have wrapped around his lithe form and twisted together. If it wasn't for his armor Hiccup would have been hurt far worse. "Oh man, that looks nasty. That ought to teach you not to dive bomb at bolas. I think you forget Astrid can protect herself and kick your ass all at the same time."
"Ha ha," Hiccup snorted but he closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing as Phlegma, Astrid's mother, began probing his side, a tiny smile on her lips at the mention of her daughter. Hiccup tried smiling at her to reassure his future mother-in-law that he was okay and just being his usual self and trying to be a good boyfriend by protecting his beloved. But that smile turned into a grimace when she pressed his tender flesh and slowly moved downward to his hip where the grimace turned into a scowl then thin frown until finally he cried out and tried bucking away from her but Alvin's big hand went to his chest and pushed him back down until he was flat on his back.
"Bone is bruised," Phlegma mused. "There may be a fracture but Gothi will need to consult the Gods." Her fingers began moving upward, following the same path she had taken downward. Her eyes closed as she neared Hiccup's ribs and the young man closed his eyes as the pain grew until finally she pressed against the bones of his ribs and searing pain raged through him. He screamed in agony, certain that the sound would alert every chieftain and Viking presently on Berk to his plight. "One…no, two broken ribs. Oh! That's not good." Her hand had moved toward his back as Alvin rolled him onto his good side. "Make it three. You're got three broken ribs, Hiccup. Why didn't you come and get treatment sooner? If Astrid knew…"
"No!" he yelped, reaching out for her imploringly. "Please, Phlegma, don't tell her how bad this is. She's just worry and…"
"Kick his ass for being all heroic and over protective," Snotlout threw in with a big grin. "Actually, tell her. I'll pay to see his scrawny ass kick from one end of Berk all the way to the other and back. We'll make it an annual thing."
Hiccup groaned and thumped his head against his pillow. "Shut up, Snotlout."
His cousin patted his knee. "Well she could always kill you and make me chief but then who would I tease?"
"Tuffnut," Hiccup grumbled.
Snotlout only grinned before carefully helping him sit up again. "Yeah, that's my part time hobby. Now sit still and try not to scream or I'll tell the others all about this."
"No you won't."
"Yeah I will."
"Nu uh. It's a chiefly order."
"Ha ha, cousin teasing out rule chiefly orders. Ask Dad."
Alvin shook his head as the two bickered, remembering when he and Stoick would tease in the same manner or argue, they were good at arguing. But Snotlout was a good distraction and in Hiccup's drunken state he barely noticed as he helped Phlegma wrap his ribs in tight bindings. The only hints of discomfort was when he winced while arguing with his cousin but that usually logical young man was making next to no sense and strangely Snotlout was. Once Hiccup's ribs were wrapped Alvin made him lay back down and rest.
"I'm going to assure your mother you're okay then check in on you in a few hours, alright?" he told Hiccup in a fatherly tone, knowing that Hiccup would most likely pass out soon. He was tempted to take him back to Gobber's but judging by his over protectiveness toward not only his girlfriend but also his mother it was best to give them a little time away from each other. Hiccup wasn't the type to have people hovering over him and worrying like silly nellies. "Get some sleep, lad. We'll deal with Drago later."
"Sure…" Hiccup murmured, finally relaxing as Snotlout took a perch in a seat next to the cot. "Thanks Phlegma. Thanks Alvin."
The woman smiled sweetly and brushed aside his bangs. "Just rest, son. I'll have Gothi look at your hip. And don't worry about Astrid. She means well and loves you more than you will ever know. And if she does kick your butt it's probably because you deserve it."
"I usually do," he agreed with a lopsided grin.
She only smiled and patted his knee before leaving. Alvin left with her and head back to the Great Hall to give Valka a heads up on what was going on. Last thing he needed was Valka freaking out thinking he and Hiccup had gotten into a fight much as he and Stoick used to over her. Ah, those were the days. He and Stoick argued many times over Valka and her outrageous ideas about making peace with dragons and finding a peaceful way to stop them from stealing their livestock and food. While it was a little silly and not the norm Alvin had liked her feistiness and had Stoick not decided to woe her he would have. Well he did try but something about Stoick had made her choose him – although Alvin was almost positive that it was her parents pushing her into marrying him due to status if anything else.
Snotlout lounged back in his seat and watched Hiccup for a few minutes. His chief was obviously exhausted and not in his right mind. But rather than sleeping as he should Hiccup lay there wide awake and fidgety. Yep, Hiccup never could stay still. He kept reaching for Toothless who sat dutifully at his side and ran his fingers over his scaly head. Back and forth, back and forth in a rhythmic fashion as he stared up at the top of the tent.
"What are you thinking about, runt?" Snotlout asked, hoping to pull his cousin out of whatever stupor he was in. If Hiccup was sleeping it would be one thing but this mopping bit was never fun.
Hiccup frowned. "I'm a head taller than you, 'Lout." He fell silent for a few minutes before sighing. "Do you think my Dad made the wrong decision naming me heir instead of you?"
Snotlout laughed at that. "Damn right. I was always the better choice. Look at this bod." He flex and did his most heroic pose which would usually have Hiccup rolling his eyes in annoyance but this time his cousin only stared at him in consideration. "You're serious?" Snotlout asked in utter shock.
Hiccup looked away. "I don't know… I just don't know if I'm as good a leader as I should be. That maybe you were right all along."
Snotlout stared at him opened mouth, not expecting such a thing out of his cousin. He sighed and took a seat on the edge of the cot. "Look, I know I haven't always been your biggest supporter and I tease you like all the time but as much as I hate to admit it…you're actually doing a pretty good job as chief. Maybe I would be better but that doesn't matter. You are our chief and you'll get better at it. And I'll be there to point out your mistakes and tease you endlessly because that's what I do best."
A small laugh escaped Hiccup. "Yeah, I guess it is."
"Now stop beating yourself up over a silly injury trying to protect Astrid. You'll make bigger mistakes."
"Gee, thanks."
They both laughed and Snotlout was certain he could see a bit of the old Hiccup coming back. "You really love her, don't you?"
"Yeah. I want her as my second."
Snotlout nodded. He had hoped Hiccup would pick him but Hiccup had a mind of his own and rarely listened to anyone else. "She'd make a good second. At least you listen to her."
Surprise filled Hiccup's face but a moment later he smiled. Having Snotlout's support out of everyone's was always unexpected and welcomed and that would be the end of their conversation on the topic as a rather surprising and unexpected visitor swayed into the room carrying a tray of medical supplies and jug of fresh water into the tent. It took a moment for Hiccup to recognize the red haired young woman since he hadn't seen her in quite some time but once she came into the light there was no mistaking the female Berserker.
"Cora!" he greeted in welcome surprise. He tried sitting up despite the pain. "What are you doing here?"
The girl blinked in surprise. "Hiccup?"
But before Hiccup could respond Snotlout had shoved him back down on the cot and held him there with one hand, which wasn't all that difficult. Snotlout was still stronger then him despite being much shorter and in Hiccup's condition he really couldn't bit up much of a fight. The older man stood up, took off his helmet and smoothed back his hair before putting it back on. "Uh…Hi, I'm Snotlout, Hiccup older and handsomer cousin. I'm sure you've heard of me. You're Cora?"
She seemed a little taken back by Snotlout's trademark straightforwardness and looked shyly to Hiccup for guidance but Snotlout was directly between both their lines of sight. "Yeah," she finally answered after putting the tray on a nearby table. Pouring some water in a cup she brought it to Hiccup who Snotlout immediately helped sit up to take a sip even though Hiccup didn't really need him and shot him warning looks the whole time.
"I've never seen you here before," Snotlout continued, oblivious to the looks. "Which tribe are you from?"
"Berserker," she answered with a look that clearly said she expected Snotlout to run away screaming.
However this was Snotlout and when he had a sudden interest in something he didn't let up. "Really, that's cool. I always felt I should have been a Berserker. You know all the fighting and bloodshed. That's my sort of thing. You should meet the twins, they would be total Hysterics. People are sometimes born into the wrong tribes."
She giggled and it was like the sound of angels to Snotlout and he nearly melted on the spot at the wonderful sound. "I often tell my brother that," she agreed.
"Snotlout! Snotlout!" Hiccup tried to call after his cousin as Snotlout escorted Cora out of the tent. He thumped his head against his pillow and pressed the butt of his hands against his eyes as he debated whether or not to chase after Snotlout before he got beheaded by a certain over protective, deranged big brother. "Dagur's going to kill him and then me," he grumbled to himself already prepared for the worse if Dagur found out that Snotlout was now trying to woe his baby sister. Things couldn't get any worse.
