Astrid gasped. "They're back!" She yelled, breaking away from Hiccup and tearing down the cobblestone street towards the Great Hall.

"Astrid!" Hiccup called after her. The smoke billowing up from the large building signaled the return of the fleet. The fire had been out the past week and a half whilst they were away.

"We are going to be in trouble if they are already done unloading the ships." Astrid mutters, slowing down to catch her breath before entering the Hall. Hiccup nods in agreement, holding the door open for her.

The air inside is smokey from the grand fire along the back wall, and it smells of roast boar. The atmosphere isn't one of joy, nor one of sadness. Anyone could tell that they hadn't managed to find the Dragon Nest.

Astrid and Hiccup wound they way between groups of chatting women, men with mugs of mead and small children playing tag, darting around their father's legs and hiding behind their mother's skirts.

They found the twins and Snotlout standing near the back of the Great Hall, near the fire.

"Hey! Where did you two get off to? I couldn't find you after I swam the treacherous waters to rescue my helmet." He elbowed Astrid. "Pride of the family. Lucky I was there to save this precious heirloom."

"Wow. Cool." Astrid replied blandly. He twitched his brows.

"You guys should have seen the ships that came back." Tuffnut said animatedly.

"The ones that made it." Ruffnut countered darkly.

"Not all the ships made it back?" Hiccup asked concernedly, taking the words straight from Astrid's mouth.

"No! Three got blasted by a Scauldron just off the shore of Pinetop Island. That's why they turned back"

"Did everyone make it?" Astrid asked then, interrupting Tuffnut before he launched into a description of how awesome the splintered boats looked.

"Yeah I think so." Ruffnut answered her, looking bored. She flipped one of her thick braids over her shoulder. "When's the boar done? I'm starving!" She yelled at her brother, who shrugged, returning to his conversation with Snotlout.

Astrid and Hiccup shared a look. Pinetop Island wasn't very far from the Mountain.

"Lucky that Scauldron got them. No one would have survived had they reached the Nest." Astrid whispered to Hiccup. He nodded in agreement, his expression solemn.

Everyone in the Hall fell silent as someone banged a sword on a shield. All eyes turned to Stoick as he stood on a platform by the door to address his people. He looked tired, his beard an unkempt mess and deep bags under his eyes.

"Listen here citizens of Berk." He started, looking around the large room. His eyes fell on Astrid, but didn't linger for more than a second. It didn't bother her. She was used to being her Father's last priority.

"As you all have probably heard by now, we were forced to turn back when two of our ships were destroyed by a Scauldron."

"I thought you said three?" Snotlout pushed Tuffnut. The boy shrugged, shoving Snotlout back.

"But, we took it as a sign that we were close to the Dragon Nest. I am certain the Nest is not much more North of Pinetop Island. Once we rebuild the ships and regather the supplies, we will head back out, with a larger fleet. We will find the Nest, and we will take it out!" He boomed through the space, driving his axe into a table at his final words.

All the assembled Vikings cheered, toasting mugs and shaking weapons in the air. The walls rattled with the din, and Astrid felt the blood drain from her face. She shook Hiccup's arm, feeling dizzy. He said something to her that she could hear. He took by the shoulders and led her from the Great Hall, into the cool evening air.

"Astrid?" He asked, tipping her face up. She pulled away, pacing a few steps before turning back.

"What are we going to do?" She hissed, her eyes wide with fear. "Oh, Hiccup, we really messed up this time."

"Messed up?" He asked, confused. "We haven't done anything. No one knows anything."

"But, but-" Astrid struggled to find the words to make Hiccup understand the intense fear she was feeling. "We can't let them go again! They have no idea what they're up against!"

"Okay. Okay." Hiccup soothed. "We'll figure it out. Some way to tell them. It will be at least a week before they are ready to go again." He spoke sensibly, efficiently calming Astrid. She stopped pacing.

"Thank Thor someone has a brain around here."

Hiccup laughed. "We all know you are smarter than me."

"Astrid!" A loud voice boomed from up the road. "Get up here and say hello to me!" The pair turned and watched Stoick spread his thick arms wide and started down the road. Astrid walked up to meet him, letting him pull her into a crushing hug. She wondered if it was only because most of the village was standing just a few feet away.

"Hi Dad. Welcome back." She greeted him, her back cracking under the pressure of his strong arms.

"I hear you are quite a little star in the arena?" He pushed her back to arms length.

So that's why. Astrid thought, shrugging.

"Well, I'll see for myself tomorrow. If Gothi chooses you." He says, stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest.

Astrid's heart sunk to her stomach, thinking about the event tomorrow. Everyone was back to see the best recruit kill their first dragon in the arena.

"How was the journey, sir?" Hiccup asked Stoick, averting the attention from Astrid. She shot him a thankful glance as Stoick gripped his hand in a broad shake.

"Good. Good. Perhaps you'll be joining us next time?" He boomed, his demanding presence drawing the focus of everyone around.

Hiccup seemed taken aback by the question. "Oh, uh I don't know."

"Good lad you, Hiccup. Couldn't be any harder than looking after Astrid here." Stoick elbowed the young Viking, who laughed uncomfortably and rubbed his side.

"Astrid was no trouble at all, sir." Astrid knew Hiccup didn't want to talk about her as if she wasn't right there, but he had to go along with Stoick.

"Ah, no, she isn't. But, you seem to have rubbed off on her lad? Real natural with the dragons is she now?"

"Yes, yes she is." Hiccup says warmly, glancing back at her with a little smile.

"Well, I see you all tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it!"

"Of course! You should be." Hiccup ran his hand over the back of his neck. Stoick gave the teenager one last good natured shove, and headed back inside.

Astrid stepped back closer to Hiccup as her father disappeared into the crowd.

"You wouldn't go with them, would you?" She asked worriedly, looking up at him.

"Not if you didn't want me to." He replied.

Astrid scoffed and shook her head.

"I'm serious!" He insisted.

"O-kay!" Astrid said, walking back into the Great Hall to get some food. She laughed with Hiccup as they grabbed a couple of plates, thanking the women who served them, and took a seat by the others.

Tuffnut held a boar leg in one hand, taking big bites out of it and swinging it around the table as he described a Timberjack that he swore he saw in the woods the other day to a skeptical Fishlegs.

"Tuffnut, if there was a Timberjack on Berk, we would have seen the cut down trees." Fishlegs explained. The stout boy had joined the group while Astrid and Hiccup were outside.

"No, no! Not this one! Because this one, had um, it had the trees for the wings!"

"Yeah, it cut down so many trees that it's wings became the trees." Ruffnut backed her brother up.

"Nice." He headbutted her.

Astrid ate quietly as she watched the rest of the table interact. The twins kept coming up with wild tales and speaking through mouthfuls of food, Fishlegs kept trying to reason with them in his gentle demeanor, and Snotlout kept trying to challenge Hiccup to various activities, such as; chugging a mug of yak milk, launching beans into other people's dishes, breaking boar bones with his bare hands, and a variety of other things of equal stupidity.

After the meal was finished, the group of teens slipped out the back before they were forced to wash dishes or something.

"Who do you think Gothi is going to choose?" Snotlout asked as they wandered down towards the docks. Astrid and Hiccup had wanted to see the destroyed boats.

"Um, duh. Hiccup obviously." Tuffnut said.

"Well, actually, I think Astrid has just as good of a shot. She's subdued the highest quantity of dragons." Fishlegs objected, pointing a finger in the air.

"Ha, no. It'll be Hiccup for sure." Astrid said quickly, bumping into the boy walking next to her. He looked sad almost, slightly frowning down at her.

"Well, if that old bat had half a mind, she would choose me." Snotlout yelled loudly. That sort of seemed to be the boy's only volume. He jumped in front of the group. Pointing to himself and walking backwards as he elaborated . "I have the greatest promise."

"I, I don't think that's what she's looking for Snotlout."

"Quiet, Hiccup! Just because I didn't exactly showcase my skills in the arena, I show them elsewhere." He turned back around, strutting down the cobblestone.

"Please, do share." Astrid encouraged him.

"Share what?"

"Your skills? The ones that you showcase elsewhere?"

"Oh! Well, about that. I can't. Because that would be like giving away my secrets and then you guys would steal my techniques."

"Trust us. We wouldn't want to." Ruffnut snickered.

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, my fair maiden." Snotlout said grandly.

"Do I look like a fair maiden to you?" Ruffnut growled, punching one fist into her palm.

"No, of course not!" Snotlout backtracked quickly.

"What are you say Snotlout? That my sister is like a man?" Tuffnut imitates his sister's posture.

"Woah, woah." Snotlout tries to talk his way out of his mess. Not exactly his strong suit.

Hiccup, Astrid and Fishlegs cover their mouths to keep the twins from seeing them laugh as they trailed behind.

"Okay, look buddy-" Tuffnut starts.

"Hey, is that the boat?" Astrid shouts and runs between the boys, pointing down to the dock.

"Nooo, Astrid. That is just the destroyed boat we keep around for fun." Snotlout snarks.

"Watch yourself!" Hiccup says, raising his eyebrows at the black haired boy.

"Oh-o-o! What do we have here?" Snotlout asks.

"Drop it." Hiccup growls. Astrid pretends she doesn't hear the conversation happening behind her, instead following Ruffnut down the stairs.

"Alright man!" Snotlout's voice rises higher, and Astrid smirks, knowing Hiccup must have just threatened the boy.

"Okay look at it!" Tuffnut shouts, his anger seemingly forgotten. "Tell me that this isn't totally awesome."

"It is pretty cool." Astrid agrees, looking over the splintered ship. It seemed a wonder that is was still afloat, as half of the hull was blasted out. The sails were torn and the deck was folded in on itself. The Berk crest on the side of the boat was half scrapped off.

"Makes me nervous." Hiccup mutters. Standing close to Astrid.

"You don't need to go back with them." Astrid turns to him with wide eyes. He just frowns and looks out over the dark water. The sun had set, but it was still dusk outside. Soon the long shadows would fade into complete darkness. A pair of men walked along the dock behind them, lighting the huge bowls of fire that dotted the shore of Berk every night.

"Get back to the village kids!" One of them called gruffly. Grumbling, the six teens started back up the stairs.

"I guess we'll all see each other tomorrow." Fishlegs said as they stood in a group at the top of the steps catching their breaths.

"Yeah…" Astrid mumbled.

"Best of luck!" Ruffnut said loudly, turning up the hill to her house with her brother, who offered a small wave. Fishlegs followed them, and Snotlout turned and walked down the coastline, on the planks laid over the fjords and deep gullies in the cliffside.

Astrid sat down heavily on the top step, putting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest, anxiety eating away at her.

"What's wrong?" Hiccup murmured, sitting next to her.

"You already know." Astrid said dully, digging the toe of her boot into a crack in the wooden step.

"Don't think about it." He suggested.

"How do you suppose I do that?" She turned on him. He visibly retracted. "Oh, I'm sorry Hiccup. You know I don't mean it. But if Gothi picks me, there is no way I can kill a dragon."

"It'll be okay." Hiccup assured her, leaning into her arm. His skin was warm despite the chill in the evening air. Astrid throat tightened up, making her breathing rough and shallow.

The two sat there for a long time. Long enough for the sound of the waves to dim into their nighttime lull, for the moon to rise to the middle of the sky, and for all of the stars to pepper the black sky.

"Hiccup?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"No problem, Astrid."

AN_

Hello my lovely readers! Not much action in this chapter, but just you wait for Chapter 13. :)

I just want to say again how grateful I am for all of the views and the follows! I never imagined that I would have so many on my first story for this fandom. And the reviews, they have all been so nice and sweet, so please feel free to leave one! It makes my whole day to read your guys' kind words!

-Birch66724