On Berk

Astrid did her best thinking with an axe in her hand. There was a kind of clarity that comes with judging the distance between oneself and a distant target. In this case, that target was a much abused oak tree whose trunk bore many divots and gouges from past practice sessions.

She gripped her axe in both hands tightly, visualizing the arc of travel, calculating how hard she would have to throw in order to reach her mark. She lifted the weapon overhead and threw, grunting rather indelicately with the effort. The axe left her hands in a whirling silvery blur, humming through the air to unerringly strike the trunk of the oak. The meaty sound of the blade biting into the old wood echoed back and the shieldmaiden smiled in satisfaction.

"Nice one." Heather, standing a few paces to Astrid's right, remarked jovially. She had an axe of her own resting on one shoulder.

"Thanks." Astrid replied, then watched as Heather performed a throw of her own to similar results.

Both women had been pitching axes at the poor old oak for a couple of hours now, after having finished daggmal at the Great Hall. The weather was fair, if a bit brisk. It was still late winter, after all. As a result they had indulged themselves in a friendly sparring match to warm themselves up, get the blood flowing. That exercise ended predictably, with Astrid just barely able to claim victory over the raven-haired warrior maiden.

They were close in skill, anyone could tell you that, but Heather had the tendency to overcommit when on the attack. Astrid, never one to simply ignore an opponent's mistake - even if it was a friendly bout of sparring- capitalized on the way Heather left herself open.

Now they were relaxing with one of their favorite pastimes, namely axe throwing. It was only the two of them in their little clearing, the rest of the dragon riders busy with their own chores and activities around Berk. Fishlegs at the academy holding his lecture for the junior riders, Snotlout performing his penance for his father, the twins out on their patrol rotation with the stranger, Harrow.

It was good to be able to run through that checklist in her mind and know that all was well. But, as was often the case of late, Astrid found her mind wandering to thoughts about how Hiccup was fairing with his father's chiefing lessons. Actually, it would be more fair to say that her mind simply wandered to thoughts of Hiccup, period.

That by itself wasn't unusual. He was her friend, perhaps her best friend, and was often in need of her protection from one thing or another. Even with a Night Fury at his side, that man always found himself a new way to get into trouble.

Like this bounty on his head, for instance. The other dragon riders weren't as concerned. In fact, the twins and Snotlout thought it was all a good joke, something to poke fun at to get Hiccup's goat. Fishlegs cautiously shared Hiccup's opinion that nothing bad could happen as long as they were on Berk.

But Astrid wasn't so sure about that. There was a nagging sense of impending doom, something that had popped up since they had to fight off a band of bounty hunters while out foraging for supplies near the Edge. She felt the need to be extra vigilant. She watched her surroundings more carefully than she would ever have had to before on Berk.

Her instincts told her that the anniversary celebration would be the catalyst if something were to happen. There would be visitors coming to Berk for the celebration, relatives of Hooligans who lived with other tribes on other islands, people who Astrid didn't know very well. They might be capable of anything, even attempting to collect the bounty on the heir of the tribe.

There was also the question of the merchants that had been coming and going for the past three days, bringing goods and supplies for the celebration. Many of those traders had been vouched for by Johann as harmless. Yet Johann had been wrong before when it came to judgements of character, and he freely admitted that there were some traders in the latest convoy that he couldn't say he knew very well personally.

And then there was the recent addition to the village, the stranger from the sea, Harrow. He was an odd one. Somewhat distant, a tad reserved. He always seemed to do more listening and watching than talking, though he seemed to get along fine with Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Then again, he'd only been on Berk three days, so he hadn't yet received the full Thorston treatment. Astrid wondered how he was faring with the twins on patrol. Maybe his stance towards them would change.

"Midgard to Astrid!" Heather said, her voice breaking into Astrid's train of thought. A hand passed before Astrid's eyes, and she blinked.

"Oh, uh… sorry, Heather. I guess I was off in my own little world." Astrid said, smiling sheepishly. "Did you say something?"

Heather smirked at her, put a fist to a cocked hip. "I said, it's your turn to throw."

Indeed, it looked like Heather had made another excellent throw, the axe buried to the bit in the battered trunk. Astrid looked down at her hand and was surprised to see she held her axe. She blinked again, trying to remember having walked over to retrieve it.

"Are you okay?" Heather asked, frowning.

"I'm fine." Astrid replied, giving her head a brief shake. "I've just been thinking lately."

"That's dangerous to do when your hurling edged weapons around, you know." Heather joked, watching Astrid address the target, aim, bring her arms up in the act of throwing. "Could put out someone's eye if you're not careful!"

Astrid threw, another perfect release. The blade of the axe made contact with the tree and bit deep, the handle quivering. "Yeah, maybe."

"Copper for your thoughts?"

"You can probably guess." Astrid said, watching Heather walk towards the tree to reclaim their axes.

Heather jerked her axe from the tree easily, then laid a hand on Astrid's and frowned when it wouldn't budge. "You're still thinking that Hiccup ought to tell his father about the bounty on his head?"

"Yep." Astrid replied, and smirked when Heather still couldn't pull the axe from the tree on her second try. "I think he's being a muttonhead. Stoick ought to know, not just because he's the chief, but because he's Hiccup's father."

"True, but Hiccup is every bit as stubborn as Stoick. If he thinks he can handle it, he won't breathe a word of it." Heather said, then sighed in frustration. "I think you're going to have come get this axe on your own, Astrid."

"I did seem to put a little more muscle into that particular throw." Astrid mused proudly, walking over to stand beside her friend. She reached up, and with some difficulty, managed to pluck the axe from the wood of the tree.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Uh, not throw it so hard next time?" Astrid ventured, shrugging.

Heather chuckled lightly. "Not that, Astrid. What are you going to do about Hiccup keeping information from his father?"

Astrid frowned. "Nothing, I guess. Against my better judgement."

"Probably a wise decision." Heather agreed. "He's an adult, can make his own decisions and can face the consequences."

"And we can always help him pick up the pieces when it inevitably goes awry." Astrid added wryly.

"Should we keep throwing axes, or do you want to do something else?" Heather asked. "We could go get Stormfly and Razorwhip, maybe practice our routine for the celebration?"

Astrid gave her a mild look and a smile. "Do you think we need anymore practice?"

"Not really." Heather replied, "Do we really need a reason to go for a flight, though?"

"Nope!"

So Astrid and Heather shouldered their axes and left the clearing that had become their personal training ground in the forests outside the village. On their way back, they passed the village center with its decorations and banners. There were three knots of villagers scattered around. One party of villagers was industriously working on a stage for the official speeches that would be made in order kick off the anniversary celebration. Another group, mostly of Hooligan men, were hauling freshly felled logs over to where a bonfire was being constructed for the evening of the anniversary.

The last group was composed of merchants from both the village and from the trade convoys. Amongst them was the familiar figure of Trader Johann, chatting amiably, telling jokes, and maybe recalling one of his infamous long-winded stories. He caught sight of Astrid and Heather as they were making their way through the village center and excused himself from the conversation.

"Ah, Miss Astrid, Miss Heather! So good to see you once again!" Johann greeted them, bowing elegantly.

"Hey, Johann." Astrid replied, smiling warmly. "How are things out in the trade lanes?"

"In a word, marvelous!" Johann crowed, pleased. "I did a brisk business in Freezing-to-Death, hired some new hands, and overhauled my old ship. Then when I heard you Hooligans were preparing to celebrate your four hundred year anniversary, I knew I just had to come and offer my congratulations."

"And turn a healthy profit." Heather added dryly.

Johan laughed merrily. "Oh, yes, guilty as charged! After all, that is part and parcel to being a brother of the Free Traders. I come bearing a cargo of exotic foodstuff, rich mead, and heady wine."

"That sounds great, Johann." Astrid told him. "I'm sure we'll need every crate and barrel before the end of the celebration. Stoick did say he was expecting a great turnout."

"Aye! When I left Freezing, there was a great throng of ships from all over the Archipelago, preparing to set sail for Berk." Johann explained, stepping to the side to allow a pair of burly Vikings carrying a felled log to pass.

"Berk's anniversary promises to be an event worthy of song and tale, I do say. I can almost assure that there will be a surfeit of victuals. I hope that the entertainment will also be suitably memorable."

"I think we can all agree on that." Heather remarked, sharing a look with Astrid. "We dragonriders have a pretty impressive routine prepared for our part of the celebration."

"Truly?" Johann inquired, eagerly. "Perhaps a display of death-defying aerial acrobatics?"

Astrid favored him with an enigmatic grin. "Something like that."

"We're not going to give anything away just yet." Heather added.

"Fair is fair, I suppose." Johann replied, somewhat disappointed. "I shall await with baited breath, then, for the celebration. Now, what news from the village of Berk since last I made port here?"

"Well, nothing too out of the ordinary." Astrid explained, shrugging. "The Dragon Academy has a junior class, now."

"A fine notion, that there should be a new generation of young adventurers." Johann remarked. "What else?"

"Oh, and Mulch and Bucket brought in a shipwreck survivor." Heather added. "A young man about our age. Goes by the name Harrow."

"Harrow?" Johann echoed, his face clouding with thought. "That name sounds familiar to me, but I can't for the life of me remember why…" He regarded the two young women with a shrewd gaze. "Did he mention where he hails from?"

Astrid and Heather exchanged a look, then Astrid spoke up. "Yeah, he said he came from the Songless Isles, somewhere beyond the Archipelago and far to the northeast in the Meridian."

Johann's face darkened. "The Songless Isles, you say? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." Heather assured him.

"Is there something we should know about these Isles?" Astrid asked, her curiosity piqued. And her sense of unease.

Johann pressed his lips into a thin line. "I can't imagine how anyone in the Archipelago would have heard anything, but the Songless Isles have a fell name amongst the brothers of the Free Traders. The waters around the Songless Isles are lousy with piratical raiders, reavers of the most unsavory sort. Many of our number have fallen prey to their rapacious predations in the past."

"What does that have to do with Harrow?" Heather asked.

"It may have nothing to do with this young man." Johann replied, "However, anyone who claims to hail from that unpleasant rock should be kept under careful scrutiny. The Songless Isles breed a kind of Viking long steeped in a culture of devious ruthlessness and malign subtly."

"Harrow could be something more than he seems, then." Astrid muttered, frowning. Her sense of unease sharpened. "Is that what you're saying?"

"We don't know that for sure." Heather cautioned. "He could be exactly what he appears to be. We shouldn't jump to conclusions." She regarded Astrid earnestly. "Remember, I came to Berk almost the same way."

"I know." Astrid replied. "I also remember that you were trouble the first time we met you."

Heather shot her friend an annoyed glare. "You know why I did what I did, Astrid."

Astrid nodded, smiling. "Of course. And, obviously, you've since changed."

Johann raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Ladies, I do not want to unjustly disparage this young man, whom I have never met. It could be that he is exactly as he appears, an unfortunate soul set upon by the misfortunes of the fickle sea. That could certainly be the case."

"But you wanted to warn us, just in case." Heather pointed out.

"Aye, just so. We are allies, after all. And, I would dare say, friends."

"Thanks, Johann." Astrid said. "I really appreciate you took the time to give us the heads up. Don't worry, we won't get caught off guard."

"I sincerely hope so." Johann said earnestly. Then he favored them with a hopeful smile. "Now, if you would excuse me, I need to go find Chief Stoick. There are yet more arrangements we must speak of regarding payment."

Johann bowed again and ambled off up the hill toward Haddock Hall. Astrid watched him go, her brow furrowed in thought. The trader's warning had struck a chord with the shieldmaiden. She remembered the bounty on Hiccup's head. She wondered if word of that bounty had gotten as far away as the Songless Isle.

Heather noticed her friend's stormy expression. "Now what are you thinking?"

Astrid turned to regard her friend gravely. "I'm thinking that when Harrow comes back from the patrol with the twins, we need to ask him some questions."