A/N: To Guest(s), I really appreciate your detailed reviews and positive reinforcements. I hadn't written this story to get complimented on it, but it's still nice to receive uplifting reviews like yours. Now I don't know if I am dealing with one or more guest reviewers, but thank you just the same.


CHAPTER 28: HEALER

Stormfly landed in front of the Chief's house, and surprisingly her mother came running out, having noticed a large shadow sweep by the window.

"What happened?" Énjal signed with great agitation.

"Hiccup lost his leg battling a gigantic dragon. He needs the village healer." Astrid explained with difficulty as her arms were full of Hiccup.

Stormfly squatted right onto her belly to make it as easy as possible for her rider to dismount with her injured mate.

Astrid was strong but not strong enough to carry Hiccup's dead weight up to his room. Her mother however was a sturdy full grown Viking woman and she took Hiccup from her arms.

Astrid was surprised to see tears of distress fill her mother's eyes. She didn't think it was possible for her mother to come to care so deeply for her Hiccup. By the gods she couldn't believe she had come to cherish him this intently in barely two weeks, if that, but it felt more like a lifetime ago.

Astrid wasn't yet familiar enough with Berk to know where everyone lived. Where to find the healer? She was familiar with Bjorn the baker so she jumped back on Stormfly for a short flight and directed her to the bakery. Bjorn was not a warrior so he had remained on the Island. "Bjorn! Where do I find Gothi, your healer?"

The urgency in her voice had Bjorn rushing out to her. "How did yoo get back so fast?" The baker asked in wonder.

"Never mind right now. Hiccup's hurt badly. Where's your healer?" Astrid reiterated in high anxiety.

Bjorn pointed up to one of the lower mountain peaks where a small hut was erected. He ran with a squeal back into his shop when he saw Astrid run and jump onto a blue and yellow Deadly Nadder.

"Thanks for all your help girl. Just two more short flights and I think you can have the rest of the day off." Astrid praised her dragon, who squawked back in appreciation.

They landed at Gothi's back door. Astrid thought she must be psychic as Gothi had been waiting for her with a satchel of medical supplies. She then realised that from this lofty vantage point she could observe many comings and goings. Astrid also wondered how Gothi otherwise came and went from such a lofty dwelling place.

Without hesitation she reached up for Astrid's hand and pulled herself up behind the blond interpreter. "Hold onto me tight Gothi. The take offs can be jerky!"

Stormfly had to make a liar out of Astrid. She could tell by smell this new passenger was an older and more frail female human; she would take extra care. Since Gothi's hut was at the edge of a cliff, Stormfly simply spread her wings, and stepped off the cliff for a nice and smooth glide.

In less than fifty heart beats, the Nadder was landing once again at the Haddock residence, and flattening herself to the ground once again. Hugging her dragon's large head Astrid spoke, "Thank you so much Stormfly. Go get yourself something to eat. I'll be here for quite a while." A large shadow swept the ground and Astrid looked up to see the Monstrous Nightmare coming in for a landing.

"Thank you, Snotlout. Thank you, Hookfang." Stoick said as he hesitantly patted the dragon's snout. This being friendly with dragons was going to take some getting used to, but all thanks to his son. Stoick followed Astrid and Gothi into his home.

Gothi knew her way around as one of the eldest residence of Berk. Quite well she knew the Haddock home, since Hiccup had been accident prone for quite some time. Stoick, being an inexperienced single dad to an infant, after the disappearance of Valka, also called on her services many times. Gothi didn't wait for Astrid but lead the way to Hiccup.

Astrid was somewhat embarrassed for Hiccup since in her brief time away, her mother had managed to strip down Hiccup to his skivvies, and had begun to give him a sponge bath in Stoick's bed. He wasn't going to be doing any stair climbing any time soon, so it made more sense to nurse him on the main floor.

It was probably a good thing he was passed out or this man-boy she had come to love would be beet red with embarrassment. Astrid, also couldn't help noticing that she had been right about his finely toned muscle. No, he wasn't beefy like other Viking teens she knew, but he had only just begun his growth cycle. He was a late bloomer.

Énjal moved aside and Gothi went right to work. She started with Hiccup's amputation first. She was pleased with the first aid efforts that had been applied to Hiccup's left leg. She quickly took out some ointments to fight and prevent infection, applied them, and bandaged the stump to keep it clean.

Before she continued, Gothi turned to Astrid and signed, much to the girl's surprise. Waving her right index finger in front of her mouth and making an "oo" shape with her lips, the elder asked, "Who did?" and Gothi pointed to Hiccup's stump.

Astrid was worried she had messed up somehow. She pointed to herself and signed back, "I did."

However, the young translator need not have stressed about it regardless of how briefly.

"Good work. Smart thinking." Gothi definitely liked this sign language business. Much easier than writing in the dirt with her staff. With Hiccup and the Hofferson girl around, she would have more available interpreters too. Hopefully that bumble headed but loveable big galoot, Gobber, would learn some ASL as well.

With a worried blush for the compliment, Astrid signed back, "Thank you."

Gothi turned back to continue examining her patient. Hiccup's breathing was good if a bit slow. His heart was strong and steady. His work did well to keep him physically fit. She pinched the skin of Hiccup's left hand which was slow to rebound. His pale complexion and lack of skin elasticity indicated dehydration, probably due to blood loss. He had some additional minor bruising, but no other serious injuries, as far as she could determine from all her palpating.

Turning to her audience, Gothi asked with her hands, "Who cares for him?"

Three hands shot up belonging to Astrid, Stoick and Énjal. This delighted Gothi, as Hiccup wouldn't be lacking any attention, and his caretakers wouldn't exhaust themselves by taking shifts.

Gothi asked Stoick for some parchment and a writing utensil. Her "signabulary" was not extensive enough for the instructions she was to give. "He needs to drink as soon as possible. He shouldn't sleep much longer. He needs to drink much to help renew his blood. Feed him lots of greens as this is important for new blood. I will make him a special beverage for the same. I will bring herbal teas for his pain. Tomorrow, remove the bandage and let his wound breathe for half a morning or afternoon. I will leave you my ointments to reapply after cleaning his stump again. Do this everyday for two weeks. It will take time for skin to regrow and seal up the leg. You and Hiccup will have to be patient. It takes a long time to recover from amputation. Astrid knows where to find me if you need me again. I will go prepare more medicines for him now. If pain wakes him up before I come back, give him some hard liquor. For his size half a cup will do."

With that Gothi left to attend her preparations.

"Please excuse me ladies." Stoick spoke up. "I'll take the night shift if yoo want. I 'ave to make morre arrangements about getting oor people back to Berrk. I'm not surre if therre werre enough useable ships to bring everryone home. I still 'ave two in rreserve forr emerrgencies."

He left Hiccup in their good hands to go and speak to the rest of the dragon rider teens. As he was hoping he found them in the arena as it was still the best place to house their dragons.

"Snotlout?" Stoick called.

This call from the Chief flabbergasted him. Since when did the big man call on him unless he was in trouble?

"'Ave yoor drragons had a chance to rrest?" Stoick inquired.

"Yes, Sir. We just fed and watered them. Is there something wrong?" Snotlout worried.

"No'at all. In fact I'm prroud o' all of yoo. I was hopin' I could rrely on yoo and yoor drragons forr some more help."

"Anything, Chief." They all chorused, delighted for a chance to come to the notice of their Chief for something other than mischief.

"Do ya think yoor drragons could tow the two rremaining ships back to that Drragon Island? I'll make surre they both 'ave crrews aboarrd to take overr if the drragons get tired.

Snotlout walked over to a supply chest and pulled out several long coils of rope. "Sure thing, Chief. We'll get right on it."

Other than some mild uncertainty about the twins, Stoick felt safe enough leaving the rescue efforts to this whole new coalition.


Sign of the Chapter - Healer (Actually doctor) :-) : First you make the letter "D" with your dominant hand. Form a small circle with all your fingers and thumb and extend up only your index finger. Now the hand looks like a small "d". Bring this hand letter down to the wrist of the opposite hand, representing the doctor taking your pulse. This is the sign for "Doctor".

Healer could be signed this way as well. First the sign for"Heal" by starting with wide open hands touching each side of your upper chest, then pulling both hands slightly out to form fists quickly with a smile, followed by the sign for person by bringing both flattened hands up, parallel to each other in front of you with your elbows bent, then draw two short parallel imaginary lines from top to bottom. Heal + person = Healer.