Please leave a review! I have to say people...I never thought that I'd get this far in the story. I thought it would just become one of the stories that I'd start and never finish. Sadly, we are getting close to the end (if you couldn't tell). I won't say how many chapters are left but I will say that the number is not that big. So I thought I'd thank you again for taking your time to read my story. ^_^
Chapter Twenty-Five: Hiccup and Astrid
"Stupid! Stupid!" Hiccup called himself. He banged his head on the stone wall a few times then turned around and kicked some rocks. He sat down, "I'm such an idiot..." He raked his fingers through his hair, which was almost to this shoulders. He didn't want to show it...but he was happy to see Astrid. To see that someone was happy to see him. Then he went and lost his temper. It's not her fault...Hiccup thought, She didn't want what happened to happen...did she?
'Hiccup?'
Hiccup looked over, it was Toothless. "I'm an idiot," Hiccup sighed.
'No, your not. Everyone makes a mistake,' Toothless walked over to his friend. He placed a wing around Hiccup reassuringly. Toothless was determined to do something. Even though Hiccup was hating himself at the moment Toothless took it as a good sign. For the past five years Hiccup really hadn't shown any emotion. The first step to happiness is sorrow, Toothless thought, Ah...wait...that gave me an idea! Toothless stood in front of his friend, 'Let's make it up to her,'
"Huh?" Hiccup didn't follow.
'Cheer her up,' Toothless explained, 'She's ridden on a Nadder but not me. I can fly much higher!'
Hiccup felt unsure, "What if she says no?"
'Then we make her get on,' Toothless hoped his friend would agree. But not for the reason one would think. He had a different plan. A plan that would help them both, especially Hiccup. The idea slithered around in Toothless' head. It was so clever the dragon felt like chuckling. But he held it back. This is gonna be fun...for me that is...
"Ah...fine," Hiccup got up and climbed onto Toothless.
Yes! Toothless cheered in his head, Hiccup...I hope you don't hate me too much for this. Toothless ran out of the cave as fast as he could. Then, with a click of the stirrup, took off into the air. They searched for Astrid for a few minutes. 'There she is,' Toothless circled in the air before landing. Astrid was laying up against a rock, her mind was somewhere else.
"Astrid..." Hiccup slid off of Toothless, "Uh...I...I wanted to apologize for what I said. I...I've had trouble with my temper for a while."
Astrid looked at Hiccup, tears still in her eyes, "I probably deserved it in some way."
"No! No! You didn't," Hiccup sighed, "I-Look...Toothless wants to take you for a flight to help you feel better. And...I'm the only one who can fly him...I-If you don't want to I get it."
Astrid looked over at Toothless. The dragon put on his puppy eyes, begging for her to say yes. "It wouldn't hurt," Astrid sat up.
Yes! Toothless cheered, 'Hop on guys.'
"Uh...ladies first," Hiccup helped Astrid onto his dragon. Then he got into position in front of her. Toothless walked a bit until he came to clearing. A grin etched itself onto his face. "So...uh...how's...my dad?" Hiccup asked.
"He misses you," Astrid admitted, "He wants you home. He's changed. He changed for you."
"People are incapable of change," Hiccup said to himself.
I hope that's not true...Toothless opened his wings as much as he could. The two humans on his back paid no attention.
"He has. I promise you,"Astrid begged, "Just give him a chance."
"I dunno. What if he's just fooling the whole village just get me home," Hiccup looked away from Astrid.
"Even if that was what he's doing-which it isn't-why would he go as far as to ride a dragon?" Astrid asked.
Three...Toothless thought.
"I dunno..." Hiccup admitted.
"He can't sleep at night with your bed being empty," Astrid told Hiccup.
Two...
"Even if I want to go back I can't," Hiccup gripped the saddle.
"Why not?" Astrid asked.
A...One! Toothless shot straight up into the air, taking the two by surprise.
"Toothless!?" Hiccup grabbed Astrid before she fell off. She held onto him tight and screamed her head off. "Toothless!? What is wrong with you!?"
Toothless chuckled. Then he tucked in his wings and they fell. They crashed into the sea water below them. He jumped out, then back. In and out. In and out.
"Bad dragon!" Hiccup tried to control Toothless but failed.
Toothless did flips, barrel rolls, sharp turns, and even flipped upside down. 'Having fun yet?' he asked jokingly.
"Toothless! What are you doing?" Hiccup shouted over the roar of the wind.
'Fixing the problem!' Toothless shot straight up. Hiccup and Astrid held on as tightly as they could.
"No!" the strong wind ripped off Hiccups mask. He tried to grab it but it flew away.
Once the fear died down Astrid opened her eyes. She was in aw of what she saw. They were in the clouds! Astrid stuck out her hand but it went right through. Astrid was speechless. She had never seen anything so magnificent. Toothless then took them above the clouds. Hiccup took slow breaths. Without his mask he..."Wow..." Both Hiccup and Astrid stared up at the night sky. It was dotted with millions of twinkling stars. It took their breath away.
"I've never been this high before," Astrid said in aw. As she gazed at the stars she wrapped her arms around Hiccups waist. He flinched at the sudden contact, unsure of how to respond to it.
"Uh..neither have I," Hiccup glanced around. He had never seen anything like this.
Toothless watched his buddy, waiting-more like hoping-for him to show how he felt. And then it happened. He saw Hiccup smile. Toothless felt that all was right with the world. Hiccup looked at Toothless and Toothless gave a big, toothless smile.
O
"And there's Dragon Races," Astrid explained to Hiccup as she roasted her Herring over the fire, "Gobber makes saddles and even fixes dragon teeth. Don't ask how that started."
Hiccup chuckled. For the first time in five years he felt happy. Guilt or anger didn't stick to him. Well...almost..."Yea...sounds great."
Astrid looked over at Hiccup, forgetting the fish, "Is something wrong?"
"No," Hiccup lied, "It's nice to hear that Berk has changed-for the better."
"Hiccup..." Astrid glared at Hiccup.
Hiccup sighed, "I'm happy to see that people know the truth about dragons...it's just...I can't be apart of it."
"That's crazy," Astrid chuckled, "Of course you can come back. People will be delighted to see you. Especially your dad."
"No...It's...I really can't," Hiccup looked away.
"Why not?" Astrid placed a hand on Hiccups shoulder.
"What if I snap again? Like I did at you?" Hiccup looked at Astrid, sadness in his eyes, "Dagur isn't the only thing I've...uh..."
"What?" Astrid was shocked to hear Hiccup admit it.
Hiccup shook his head, "That Monstrous Nightmare...H-He kept saying that I had "invaded his territory". He wouldn't let me leave. He tried to kill me. And-ow!"
Astrid had punched Hiccups arm, "Why feel guilty? You were defending yourself! If you hadn't then you'd be dead! Bork the Bold killed dragons in self defense remember?"
"Yea...but"
"But nothing!" Astrid turned Hiccup until he was completely facing her, "I wasn't there...but I know that Dagur attacked the village you were staying at...whatever happened-however it happened-was in self defense Hiccup. Your not a monster."
Hiccup looked at Astrid. She smiled warmly at him. Tears fell and Hiccup pulled Astrid into a hug. She hugged in return.
Toothless watched the two, tears fell from his eyes. His plan worked perfectly! He knew that they found Astrid for a reason. He smiled as the two released from their hug.
"So...what now?" Hiccup asked.
'Group hug!' Toothless jumped and landed on top of them both. They both laughed and coughed as dirt flew up.
"You know...I think I might go back," Hiccup decided.
Joy overflowed Astrids heart. Thank you Thor! Oh...nothing can get any worse than what already has happened.
The moment broke when a distant roar ripped through the sky. Toothless jumped back, fear instantly taking over both him and Astrid. They knew that roar...
"What was that? What's wrong guys?" Hiccup was puzzled by their behavior.
'What is She doing way out here!?' Toothless started backing up.
"Whoa! Whoa!" Hiccup comforted his dragon, "Who's She?"
"The reason dragons attacked Berk," Astrid said bluntly.
"What?"
'She took over the Dragon's Nest three hundred years ago,' Toothless explained, 'S-She forces us to steal from humans and feed her.'
"What!?" Hiccup felt a small sting of betrayal, "Why didn't you tell me?"
So he never knew...Astrid was surprised , "Hiccup, don't be mad. I've seen Her...She...She is the spawn of Death!" Astrid hugged her arms, reliving the terrible memory.
'You've seen Her!?'
"Stormfly and I got pulled to the nest five years ago," Astrid explained, "But...what is She doing out? She never leaves."
'I dunno,' Toothless cowered, 'But it's not good!'
"Let's go find Her," Hiccup jumped onto Toothless.
"What!?" Astrid and Toothless said together.
'No! Any dragon that doesn't satisfy Her hunger gets eaten!' Toothless laid flat on his stomach, not willing to fly.
"Come on guys!" Hiccup urged, "We have to do something. If She's as terrible as you guys say then we can't just let Her fly loose! We need to warn people...Are you gonna come?" He looked at Astrid, pleading for her to come.
Astrid sighed. Then a look of anger came on her face, "That Devil is the reason so many lives are ruined." She jumped onto Toothless' back, "We can't just sit around!"
'Oh Gods...' Toothless groaned. Unwillingly he left the cave and took off into the air.
O
The three flew through the air, looking for people to warn. "Come on Toothless...faster!" Hiccup begged his dragon.
'Sorry! She has struck fear into my generation of dragons since we hatched,' Toothless groaned.
"I know," Hiccup patted Toothless' head, "But your generation can be the one to end Her reign."
'I guess...' Toothless scanned the clouds below them. Hm? Toothless spotted the movement of a shadow. It was moving closer to them. Toothless let out a low growl. Suddenly the shadow leaped out of the clouds. A giant dragon flew in front of them, making Toothless halt. The strange dragon was brownish-tan in color, except its spines which were orange. What was amazing the most was its double set of wings. The dragon roared out then turned and faced them. A human? Toothless saw a human standing on the dragons back-with no saddle! The even stranger human wore a weird looking mask and had some staff in their hand.
'Who are you Night Fury,' the dragon asked. His deep voice soundly annoyed.
'None of your business,' Toothless growled, 'Who are you? I've never seen your species before.'
'I...am a Stormcutter,' the dragon said proudly, 'Best dragon in the world.'
"Oh boy he reminds me of someone..." Astrid groaned.
"You can understand him?" the Stormcutters human was shocked.
"Well...yea," Hiccup patted Toothless' head, "We wouldn't be on his back if we didn't. Now, have the two of you heard a loud roar not that long ago?"
"No," the person eyed them, "Who are you two?"
"We're from Berk," Astrid said plainly.
"Berk!?" the human nearly fell back.
"Why'd you tell them?" Hiccup turned to Astrid, "We don't know if they're friend or foe."
"Sorry," Astrid held onto Hiccups shoulders,"I thought-"
Suddenly the same roar exploded next to them. Then the clouds got thrown everywhere as something huge flew directly underneath them. Toothless' heart nearly stopped. It was Her...
"Whoa! Whoa! Toothless!" Hiccup attempted to calm Toothless down but to avail. The dragon panicked and flew off faster than Hiccup thought he could go.
'No! No! No! I don't wanna get eaten!' Toothless screamed.
The Stormcutter and human could only watch as the Night Fury flew away. The human looked over to where the sudden dragon flew to. "It's heading towards Berk.." the human said in fear, "We must warn them!"
'But they-'
"We must! Come on Cloudjumper!" The two took off towards Berk as fast as they could.
If your wondering why I capitalized 'She' and 'Her' it's because of my other popular story; From the Eyes of a Night Fury. I referred the Red Death as She and Her. So I though that I'd do the same here.