The line of sun from the crack in the door had moved from the edge of the ceiling to the middle of the stovepipe. It shone on the ashy soot that encrusted the black metal tube, sparking in the dim kitchen.

Astrid's eyes were dry, her face feeling stiff from the salty tears which had flowed over her cheeks. Her arm had ceased bleeding, leaving behind a small ,deep red splotch on the wooden floor. Her leg on the other hand, it oozed and throbbed, a severe dull pulse every time Astrid's heart beat. She glanced down at it, seeing large blisters forming behind the taught yellow skin. Astrid cringed, groaning as she shifted her weight off her numb right foot.

What am I doing? She thought angrily. Who am I am? I don't sit around and cry! Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself to her feet, hissing breath through clenched teeth as she hobbled stiffly into the washroom. Pulling down a basket from the shelf, Astrid lost her stance and fell the the ground, landing heavily on her backside.

"It's okay." She muttered, grabbing a roll of bandage before it rolled out of reach. "I've got this." She continued to murmur encouragements to herself as she fetched a small pot of creme. It was all dried up. Astrid cursed, tossing the pot aside.

"I don't need that. I just need to get this burn covered up." Astrid growled in frustration, craning her knee so she could see the back of her leg. Her eyes widened at the sight of her black pants matted into the skin, threads hanging straight from the skin, crusted with pus and blood. .

"Okay. Okay." Her voice shook. Her eyes darted wildly around, trying to come up with something. She spotted a small towel. "I just have to-" She hissed, pulling herself back up. "-to get it wet. Soak it off."

Back out to the kitchen she went, pumping some water into the basin and dipping the rag in. She didn't ring it out, just dropped to dripping cloth onto her calf. The cold water stung, but soothed the burn after a moment. Astrid stood for several minutes, rewetting the rag and dosing the leg, softening up the melted leggings and the dead skin.

"There we go. That's better." Astrid coaxed herself back to the floor, poising her hands over the torn black fabric. Her fingers shook. Of course she had been burned before, had been cut and wounded, but never like this. The entire back side of the leg was covered in boils and pain. It tugged at the forefront of Astrid's mind, making her vision cloud up and spin if she focused on it.

Taking the tip of her tongue between her teeth, she bit down until the pain rivaled that in her leg and a drop of blood trickled from the side of her mouth.

"One." She took a corner of fabric between the thumb and finger. "Two." She pulled it taught. "Three!" Astrid screamed, a ragged, animal sound. Her voice was already raw from her yelling after Toothless earlier.

The fabric tore rather than coming loose from her skin. Astrid stopped, panting, bearing down on the floor with both of her palms flat on the ground, her whole body rising and falling with her heavy breaths.

"Astrid!" The front door slammed open, showering the room in bright gold light. "Oh, what is going on!" Hiccup shouted, dropping to his knees beside her. Astrid looked up, seeing his face shrink back once his eyes landed on her leg.

"It's- it's not as bad as it looks." She tried to assure him. He shook his head, rocking back on his heels.

"We need to get you, to, um-" He stuttered, obviously at a loss.

"Where is Toothless?" Astrid asked, swiping the back of her hand across her mouth, trying to get the blood from her tongue away.

"He's uh, he's still locked in the arena." Hiccup stared at the red stain on Astrid's chin. He reached out, swiping it away with his thumb. Astrid shivered at his touch. Hiccup looked so worried and concerned, it almost made Astrid's eyes well up again.

Instead, she cleared her throat. "I need to go to him. I need to get him out of here." Astrid moved to stand. Hiccup pushed her back down.

"No!" He said firmly. "You can't. Your dad will know, and, and-"

"Hiccup!" Astrid interrupted his anxious stammering. "Help me up." He complied.

"I'll take you to Gothi. She'll have something for, for that." Astrid nodded. Hiccup supported her as they walked out the door.

"Where is my father?" Astrid asked, not wanting to run into him.

"Last I saw, down by the docks. He sent me back up to check on Toothless, but I heard you scream, and I…"

"Thanks, Hiccup." They cover the rest of the distance in silence, moving rather quickly considering Astrid's state. Up the winding slope to Gothi's hut, where she practiced healing.

The old woman frowned and shook her head at Astrid. She tisked, and turning into the small building. Hiccup set Astrid down on a cut log, then paced around, casting glances at the girl, back at Gothi and out down to the docks.

Gothi stumbled over to Astrid a minute or two later, gesturing for her to lay down. Gothi didn't speak, she communicated by scratching in the dirt with her staff, but very few people in the village could decipher her images.

Astrid laid awkwardly on her stomach so her injured calf was facing up. Hiccup came over the grabbed her hand when she groaned as Gothi spread something over the wound.

"Your pants are all like, burned into it!" Hiccup stated, cringing.

"Yeah, I know." Astrid said dryly. "Why do you think I was screaming?"

"Oh Thor." He breathed, looking away as Gothi began to tease the ruined material from the burn with skilled hands.

"When did Stoick say they were leaving?" Astrid asked, trying to distract both herself and Hiccup.

"Uh, I think um-" He paused when Astrid gripped his hand harder. "I think he wants to leave tomorrow, as soon as possible."

"Tomorrow?" Astrid asked incredulously. "Oh, Gods above, help me." She prayed, chewing her cheek as her mind started to race with what to do to prevent it.

"Astrid, I don't think there is anything you can do. You know your dad."

"There is always something to do." She bit out, a tug from Gothi making it harsher than she intended.

"Okay, okay." Hiccup let her believe that, watching as Gothi dropped a swath of burned black fabric to the ground. The woman walked back and grabbed a pot, scooping out a glob of white creme and slathering it over Astrid's leg. She practically whined with relief as the cool creme soaked into the blisters.

"Feels better, huh?" Hiccup asked with his lopsided amused grin.

"Oh, yeah." Astrid sighed, sitting back up once Gothi had bandaged it tightly. The woman smiled sadly and dipped her head to Astrid,

"Thank you." Astrid said, starting back down the path. Gothi waved, turning and packing her things back up.

"Well, let me get you home, and into bed, You need to rest." Hiccup trailed her.

"Is your head filled with bees?" Astrid asked him, hurring down towards the arena on her new and improved leg. "I've got to get Toothless."

Hiccup stopped walking for a few paces. Astrid kept on. Astrid's mind raced with the possibilities. Toothless wouldn't be safe staying on Berk anymore, but he couldn't fly anywhere without her, which met she had to go too. She didn't particularly want to stick around either, but that could all be figured out later.

Finally arriving at the arena, Astrid hurried around, opening all of the doors a crack and looking for Toothless. After shutting the last door and not finding him, Astrid's heart sank.

"Where is he?" She rounded on Hiccup, jabbing an accusatory finger at him. Her eyes were watery again, longing for Toothless.

"They must have moved him."

"Don't lie to me!" Astrid cried, running back up to the street.

"I'm not lying!" Hiccup chased her. "Astrid! Stop, please!"

"Hiccup, I can't!" She whirled around. "I need to get to him! He must be so scared!" Astrid shook her hands frantically in the air, struggling to breath.

"Calm down." Hiccup said, grabbing her by the wrists. Astrid fought against him, pulling away, but she was no match for the stronger boy as he pushed her hands to her sides.

"Hiccup, Toothless needs me." Astrid insisted, her gusto fading.

"I know he does, but you can't do anything right now."

"But, Toothless…" Astrid trailed off, feeling crushed. Her chest felt like it was underneath of a boulder, her heart hammering against her ribs. Hiccup released her, following a few paces behind as Astrid slowly walked down to the edge of Berk, to look down at the docks and the preparations happening there.

Everyone was buzzing about, hauling canons and rock launchers, attaching the weapons to the ships, or working quickly to repair the damaged ones. Barrels were rolled aboard, crates of food and racks of swords and shields. The sun was low again, setting on the awful day.

"What in Thor are you doing here?" Both of the teens turned. But of course, Stoick was not talking to Astrid. "You had no business allowing her down here." Astrid's jaw set at her father's words, how she didn't even deserve to be addressed by name by him.

"I'm sorry." Hiccup said quickly, holding up his hands. "I had to take her the Gothi, for her burns, and, and then we just sort of ended up here."

"Well, go back." Stoick folded his arms, looking out over the ships and the sea, North towards Pinetop Island and the Nest.

"I thought this would be your time Hiccup. But no, you are to stay here." He glared at Astrid. "You can thank her for that too. Someone has to mind her so she doesn't do anything stupid. Again." He walked away then, Astrid glaring at him. She was hurt beyond belief. Her Father had never been close to her, but never had he treated her like this.

"What a relief." Hiccup breathed, more for Astrid's benefit than his own. Astrid could feel him watching her, but she didn't stop following her Father with her eyes until he disappeared into a building.

"Yes. Now you can help me with my plan." Astrid snarled, starting out at a brisk pace back home. She was limping rather heavily on her left leg.

"Your plan? What ah, what is your plan?"

"Don't know yet. You start by helping me figure that part out."

"Oh, Thor. You sure are stubborn Astrid."

"Thank you!" Astrid proclaimed sarcastically, walking backwards and gesturing with her hands to Hiccup. "So, if we aren't going to be able to stop the fleet from leaving, we are going to need a way to catch up to them."

"Hey, how's your leg?"

"Fine. Focus now Hiccup. Maybe we could get some of the others to help us. I bet Fishlegs knows of something!"

"Astrid! I really think you should rest your leg!"

"No, no! It feels fine. Really!"

"Why are you limping then?"

Astrid scowled at Hiccup. "It's just sore."

"Yeah, sure." He turned and started walking the other way.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Astrid said, stopping in her tracks.

"To get some rest." Hiccup pretended to yawn, making an exaggerated sound, stretching his arms over his head.

"Okay, fine! You've made your point." Astrid gave in. Hiccup kept walking. Astrid screwed up her mouth, her tongue scraping painfully from where she had bit into it.

"I'll go sit down." She called out as Hiccup rounded a corned around a house. A few seconds later, his head popped back around.

"Good!"

"And you call me the stubborn one." Astrid rolled her eyes, now noticing the way she limped up the slope.

"Oh come on. You know I'd always help you." Astrid smiled sweetly at Hiccup. "Now hurry up! We've got some planning to do."

AN_

Heyo! I know this is a weird, boring filler chapter, but I still think it's kind of cute...? Maybe? I just like writing Hiccup and Astrid together with these different personalities.

On another note, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I received the most reviews ever on my last chapter, and although the actual number might not be very high, they were some of the sweetest and most helpful, so thanks an absolute ton!

I respond to all reviews, and love talking to anyone and everyone! You guys are the sweetest, even when giving some constructive criticisms.

So, as usual, thanks for reading, following, and favoriting, and feel free to leave a review!

-Birch66724