Fifty-Three.
By the time they got back to the island, the weather had determinedly closed in and there was a more or less constant blizzard. Snow was piling up on the decks and the three passengers had to shovel it off-or get the dragons to scoop it off-in case it destabilised the overladen boat. Stormfly and Toothless had taken it in turns to pull the ship forward, shortening the journey, though it was still a horribly long way. The only positive side was that there was no way at all that anyone could track them in the miserable visibility.
When they had finally arrived at their home, the peak was hidden amid the low clouds and they could barely see the entrance to the caves. The dragons had to pull the boat high up on the rocky beach and the teens wearily tied it up, then stared at the snowy route to the caves. Sneezing, Hiccup pointed up the hill.
"Get Henryk up to the caves!" he ordered Astrid. "Grab one of the barrels of fish on the way!" She stared at him. "GO!" he urged her, seeing the younger boy shivering. He felt chilled to the bone but he threw his leg over Toothless's neck and urged the Night Fury into the air, blinking snow out of his eyes. "Sorry, bud, but we need these provisions into the caves…" Toothless gave a small bark of annoyance. "Yes, I know you've been doing all the hard work but once this is done, I promise you can lie by the fire for the rest of the week and I won't ask you to do anything. Deal, bud?"
Grumpily, the dragon grabbed two barrels of salted fish and flapped up through the blizzard, struggling into the wind and finally reaching the mouth of the caves with a huff of relief. Astrid and Stormfly were lighting a fire so Hiccup dumped the provisions in the nearest cave then set out into the storm. Back and forth they went, ferrying food, drink, wood, cloth and leather…and finally metal and the forge equipment. It was almost dark when they finally finished, collapsing in the mouth of the caves that were lit by Stormfly, who had figured how to keep a flame burning in her throat to act as a living torch. Astrid had nagged to help but Hiccup had insisted that she remain on standby, so if he faltered, she was ready to rescue him. But they finished alone and Hiccup was numb as he collapsed off the saddle-into her arms.
"You're frozen!" she scolded him and he peered fuzzily up at her, so cold he had stopped shivering and unable to feel his hands or foot.
"R-r-r-really?" he managed, his teeth chattering. "I-I thought it was j-j-just a n-n-normal B-B-Berkian d-d-day…"
"Toothless?" The Night Fury reluctantly clambered up and helped her carry Hiccup back to their cave, laying the soaked and frozen boy down by the fire and stripping his tunic and cloak off. Then she paused, searching through his meagre pile of belongings and fetching clean leggings and tunic and bringing them to the frozen boy. "Hiccup-you need to change into these dry clothes. I've warmed furs by the fire so we can wrap you up in them. There's some yak jerky soup as well."
"Oh Th-Thor," Hiccup managed through his chattering teeth. "I-I'm b-being p-p-poisoned…" She cast him a sideways glance: she could cook-just not very well.
"Get changed," she ordered him firmly and turned away to the pot as he shimmied out of his soaking leggings and pulled the fresh pair on, then curled up in the toasty warm furs by the fire. Toothless was already asleep, having fired up a generous patch of rock and curled up on the red-hot stone. Astrid stared at the shivering shape of her friend and brought a warm bowl of yak jerky broth, dropping to her knees by him and gently spoon-feeding the shivering boy. Teeth still chattering, Hiccup glanced up into her stern face and managed a small smile.
"Wow," he mumbled, swallowing. "This is actually…nice…" Her brows furrowed as she stirred the soup.
"I would have helped you," she told him stiffly but he shook his head.
"We will have time to sort everything out over the next few days," he sighed, taking another mouthful. "The weather has finally broken and I think we'll be confined here for a while." She gave him a smile.
"And you stole your forge," she admitted. He managed a small smile.
"And seriously inconvenienced Alvin," he added. "You were right, Astrid. But we've got what we need for now. Maybe we can be safe from attacks during the worst of winter." He shook his head at another proffered spoonful and lay down, staring at the orange flames. "I just want to sleep." She sat back on her heels and smiled.
"We're safe-for now," she reassured him. "The dragons will protect us. Get some rest: you've earned it."
"We both have," Hiccup mumbled and fell asleep.
oOo
Predictably, Hiccup woke with a fever and a hacking cough, his face flushed and eyes glazed. Toothless had cocked an eye then closed it again as Astrid rose and scrambled over to see how he was, her face concerned. He coughed fiercely, a hand rising to support his aching chest. She rested a hand on his forehead and winced.
"You're burning up," she told him and he shrugged.
"My own fault," he admitted. "But the supplies needed getting in…" And then he coughed again as the wind howled outside. Head turning briefly to peer in the direction of the cave entrance, Astrid nodded.
"I looked out while you were asleep," she admitted, "and the blizzard is as if Thor himself was mad at us. You can't see your hand in front of your face and the snow is already waist deep." Shifting his aching head, he coughed again.
"Maybe Thor is mad at us," Hiccup rasped as Henryk walked closer, eyes concerned. He had been watching Hiccup and though he trusted Astrid more, he was growing to admire the auburn-haired boy. Febrile emerald eyes turned to the younger boy. "I-I have to ask you to help Astrid, please?" he coughed. "I think I may be *cough* useless for the next few days…" He winced at the word that had so often been used to torment him in the past but which now horribly defined his contributions for the coming days. But Astrid just gave a smug smile.
"I think you've earned a few days off, Hiccup," she said brightly. "Henryk and I will make some breakfast and then we can set to work stowing the provisions. You've more than done your part in bringing them up from the boat." She leaned forward and patted him on a shoulder. "Stay here, keep warm and get some rest. There's no hurry now the snows have set in: we've got all the time in the world to get organised." She paused. "And maybe I can finally get your fighting skills up to scratch."
Hiccup gave a small sigh as he curled up in his blankets, shivering and closed his eyes.
"I'm glad you're here," he mumbled and dropped asleep. Astrid smiled fondly at his small, curled shape.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she told him.
oOo
Hiccup was sick for a week, the chest infection taking a firm hold on his skinny shape. The first three days saw him wracked with fever, his entire body shaking with the sawing cough and eyes glazed with delirium. He whimpered and cried out, begging his father to release him, not to harm Toothless and-most pitifully to Astrid-not to kill the girl. His nights had been torn by nightmares and he had screamed and thrashed in terror. Toothless had curled round him but even the Night Fury could only soothe part of his terrible guilt. Without hesitating, Astrid had crawled to his side and wrapped her arms around the desolate boy-and he had instantly calmed, clinging to her and sobbing, mumbling incoherent apologies into her chest. And she had patiently lain down with him curled into her embrace, surrounded by Toothless's wings and protected him all night.
During the days, Astrid had taken Henryk and they had started to catalogue and store their provisions, moving them to a chamber deeper in the caves that had a hole in the roof that acted as a chimney and where they had been doing the cooking. There was a small chamber adjoining that was perfect as a store. Of course, they had needed the help of Stormfly and Toothless to move the barrels and sacks. Strangely, the Night Fury had been happy to help-provided that someone stayed with Hiccup. And Henryk had proven willing and unobtrusive in watching the ailing boy as he had fought the infection with all his strength.
Astrid had dug out the herbs that Gothi had given her when she had visited the Elder just before she had rescued Hiccup and left Berk: a simple selection of common remedies that were designed to help the two fugitives in their perilous flight. And in there, she found a large bunch of willow bark and had steeped the tea as she had been taught as a young girl. So she had gently but firmly fed him the willow-bark tea and watched as his fever settled and the pain in his face eased a little. Menthol, honey and mint infusion had helped his hacking cough and she had wrapped him in warm furs and let him rest.
As his fever had broken, he had slept more peacefully, though still wracked by the cough. He had lost weight but Astrid had determinedly cooked broth and stew in a valiant attempt to tempt his appetite-but sometimes even the dragons wouldn't touch her efforts-and Henryk had realised with shock that even Astrid wasn't talented at everything. But she fed the dragons and watched over Hiccup and began to train Henryk. Calmly, she had given the boy a fake 'sword' and had begun the most basic lessons-holding the blade, basic moves, stance-and Henryk had begun to realise that Astrid was also fierce, determined and completely ruthless when she was training.
"You're holding the sword wrong," a rasping voice told Henryk as he bent forward, breathing hard. The younger boy looked up as Hiccup appeared at the entrance of the chamber, his fur wrapped around his body. Astrid glanced up-and her eyes widened in shock and delight, racing forward to throw a powerful hug around him. Hiccup closed his eyes in relief at the hug and returned it, savouring the comfort of his friend.
"You're up!" she said in relief. Her fist drew back…and then she dropped it. "You shouldn't do too much. Are you okay being out of bed?" A warble sounded from behind the boy and his face moved into an expression of such love and trust that she felt a shimmer of jealousy in her chest-as Toothless appeared. He nodded.
"Um…I kinda think Toothless isn't gonna let me out of his sight for a good while," he admitted sheepishly. "Especially since I was having all those nightmares when my fever was high. I doubt I'll be allowed outside for a while-even if he wants a flight…" He smiled. "I know you've been flying him for me…" His voice dissolved into a harsh bout of coughing that left him doubled up and breathless and Astrid gently took him to sit on a ledge, the Night Fury scuttling to his side-as much as a twenty-six foot long Night Fury could scuttle. She stared into his forest green gaze, checking there was no sign of fever. Her warm hand ghosted across his brow and she smiled.
"I'll get you a drink," she said and nodded to Henryk as she sped from the chamber. The younger boy drifted over to inspect Hiccup.
"She was very worried about you," he admitted and Hiccup's brows arched then dipped.
"Really?" he asked. The younger boy nodded.
"She had us busy from dawn to dusk and beyond to divert her mind from your illness," he admitted. "Though not when you were sickest: then, she wouldn't leave your side." He paused. "I'm glad you're better, though. You're…you're a much better cook!" Hiccup burst out laughing, before another coughing fit took him. Henryk stared and then smiled as well. Hiccup nodded.
"Fraid so," he rasped. Henryk settled timidly by him.
"So what did you mean about my sword grip?" he asked thoughtfully. "I mean-no offence-but you're not as good as Astrid at weapons. You're all skinny and clumsy and you aren't anywhere near as aggressive as she is." Hiccup nodded his head.
"That is pretty much true," he admitted, giving another small cough. "But not the sword. With a sword, I am as good as Astrid-sometimes better." He paused. "Don't get me wrong-Astrid is utterly amazing. She is incredibly strong for her size-and far stronger than me, by the way-and she is very agile. She is also amazing with her axe, because she has been practising since she was…five?"
"Four." Astrid said from the door. "Uncle Finn gave me my first axe when I was four." Hiccup nodded, his expression accepting.
"But you, Henryk, are like me. Your opponents are all stronger, taller and have a longer reach that you," he told the younger boy. "But you have to be ready to fight them and accept you don't go one on one with anything that involves strength." He paused. "So you use this grip…" and he demonstrated using Henryk's wooden sword, "rather than the traditional one because you need to be able to flick, cut, twist and disarm. This grip is more flexible. And you can use your other hand as well if you have to trade blows because the other person will hit you really hard." Henryk considered for a second and nodded.
"I'll try," he murmured. "That kinda makes sense, Hiccup. Thanks." The older boy smiled, meeting Astrid's amused expression.
"Hmm…been learning with me for a few months and now he's giving lessons?" she teased him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Um…no," he said in his hoarse voice. "Wouldn't dare!" She sat by him and handed him a cup of warm honeyed mead.
"Drink this," she ordered him and he obediently took a sip. "You can watch while I give the lesson…and then, if you're not too tired, you can tell Henryk and I about dragons…" He smiled and took a small sip.
"It's a date."
oOo
The weather was bad for another two weeks and Astrid refused to let Hiccup out of the caves as he recovered slowly from his illness. He was quick to tire, he still coughed when he got tired or breathed in cold air and he didn't have his usual energy. But none of that stopped him organising the forge in a cave close to the entrance and beginning work on a new sword for himself and a dagger for Henryk. Astrid hung onto her own axe, mildly amused at his determination.
She continued training Henryk and Hiccup, when he was well enough to join her classes and the younger boy was astonished when Hiccup proved his point by beating Astrid with the sword. Admiring, the younger boy had adjusted his sword grip and worked even harder to make Astrid proud of him. And Hiccup had run a series of classes and exercises with his companions and the dragons, teaching them everything he had learned from dragons since he first met Toothless.
When he was finally allowed out, Astrid had forced him to wear a second tunic as well his fur vest and a cloak and scarf wrapped over his lower face and around his neck. Glancing at her as she walked alongside him, also wrapped warmly against the frigid air, his emerald eyes twinkled. the dragons had cleared the entrance to the caves, though there was snow piled up in drifts just beyond the flat landing area. Toothless was capering around like a giant puppy, eager beyond describing at being able to fly with his little Viking once more. Hiccup swung into the saddle, his prosthetic clipping into the control pedal, opening Toothless's artificial fin.
"You know, bud-maybe we should make you a black fin so no one knows you have a fake fin?" he murmured. "And I think…maybe…there may be a way to make you independent…perhaps using clockwork and gearing…hmmm…"
"Midgard to dragon-boy!" Astrid laughed from Stormfly's back, Henryk well wrapped-up and hanging on tightly behind her. "Are you going flying any time today?" His emerald eyes flicked up and he leaned low over the saddle.
"Did ya hear that, bud?" he said cheekily. "You gonna let that one go?" The Night Fury bunched his muscles, wagging his behind and then leaping furiously into the air, arrowing directly up into the cloudless, freezing sky. Astrid's eyes narrowed.
"Oooh, it's so on, Haddock," she growled and kicked Stormfly after him.
They flew high and fast, idling above the clouds, racing, doing tricks and competing…but Hiccup only managed an hour before he headed back, exhausted. Toothless was disappointed but when he saw how pale his friend was, he crooned in anxiety and ushered Hiccup back to the bed chamber where he dropped asleep almost immediately. Astrid found the Night Fury curled around him, sleeping and looking very young and very pale. She wrapped her furs around him as well and left him to rest.
He regained his strength over the next few days, though he found he still needed a nap following his flight on Toothless-at least until he had regained his stamina. But once he was back to normal, he flew morning and evening-except when the storms blew through, grounding them. He worked in between sharing the chores, fetching wood and water for the cave when it was his turn, helping with the cooking and working on upgrades for their saddles, the tail assembly and on his flight vest. Astrid insisted on daily weapons practice and both of them helped teach Henryk.
In the evenings, Astrid tended to mend clothes and service her axe while Henryk told sagas he had been taught by his parents. Hiccup sketched in his journal, trying to solve the problem of developing Toothless a prosthetic tail fin that would allow the dragon to fly independently. He sketched and rubbed out, then redrafted, finally seeing the solution in his inventive mind and drawing long after the others had finally gone to sleep until he finally had he plans for his invention. Finally, he allowed himself to smile and curled up against his dragon.
"I'll see you fly on your own, bud," he promised.
oOo
It was Henryk who alerted them to the fact that Snoggletog was in fact only a couple of days away and the two older teens shared a look that debated whether or not to even celebrate…but Henryk's enthusiasm meant they couldn't deny the young orphan the celebration-with his new 'family'. So they began to make quick preparations. Astrid sorted out some decorations from evergreen fir branches and tried making some sort of fermented celebratory drink which she named 'yaknog'. Hiccup had made the mistake of trying it and had to pretend to like it-but he had thrown up for the rest of the day after accidentally swallowing some of the noxious stuff. He had blamed his recent illness on his sudden sickness because he really didn't want to upset Astrid.
Hiccup was up early on Snoggletog day, setting the meat to slow roast, flying Toothless and then hiding in the forge as the others woke, finalising his gifts. It was only when Astrid called him that he emerged, some old sackcloth wrapped around the gifts he had created. Smiling, he had hugged them both.
"Happy Snoggletog," he said and was rewarded by hugs from his companions. "I…um…made you gifts…" He smiled shyly and handed the parcels over. Henryk opened his to find a leather vest, belt and new boots. His face lit with a grin: as a young son of two very poor villagers, he was used to hand-me-downs from older kids so new clothes were to be cherished. Then he turned to Astrid and smiled, handing over a parcel that contained a new dagger, shoulder-armour and belt. He smiled as her eyes widened, seeing a delicate Nadder etched onto the buckle. She smiled.
"I better give you mine then," she said smugly and handed over a squashy parcel containing two new tunics and new leggings. Henryk also received new tunics as he was growing out of his patched old ones. And the boy gave his two guardians wooden carvings of their dragons. Hiccup saw a little likeness of Toothless at his most playful and knew the boy had been watching carefully, for the likeness was perfect. It was a very skilled piece of work.
"Thank you so much," he said gravely, grinning to the boy. "What do you think, bud?' Toothless sniffed the little carving and gave an approving warble. Astrid hugged the boy in gratitude before they all went for a small flight…though Stormfly was distracted. Normally in tune with her dragon, Astrid was astonished as the Nadder began to fight her, ignoring her instructions and pulling away from the Night Fury. Scowling, the Shield Maiden leaned forward, resting her hand gently against the blue scaly neck of her dragon.
"What's up, girl?" she asked the dragon gently. "You not feeling in the mood for flying?" Suddenly, the dragon bucked and gave a wild caw, ejecting Astrid and Henryk from the saddle. Leaning desperately, Hiccup grabbed Henryk as he was closest but Astrid was falling away, screaming.
"STORMFLY!"
There was no answering caw as the Nadder rocketed off into the distance without even the smallest look behind her.
"ASTRID!" Hiccup's desperate scream rang through the clear air as he threw Toothless into a power dive, accelerating towards the ground, the younger boy clutched to his body. Hiccup closed his eyes and prayed to Odin as the Night Fury accelerated, the characteristic whistle sounding as the dragon dipped-and then soared up. "Did you get her, bud?" Hiccup called, desperately-and the dragon looked underneath his body-to see the girl grasped securely in his paws, though all Astrid could offer was a very wan smile. They headed for the nearest seastack as Toothless finally managed to put Astrid safely down. Hiccup threw himself from the saddle and hugged her fiercely.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly. She nodded, white and trembling.
"What happened?" she asked desperately. "Where did Stormfly go? Why did she leave me?" Hiccup stared in the direction of the long-departed Deadly Nadder and looked into his own dragon's eyes. Toothless looked at him, wide-eyed and tilted his head.
"I don't know," he murmured, feeling ashamed that he couldn't answer her question when she desperately needed the answer. Her blue eyes looked at him, suddenly desolate.
"What if she never comes back?" she asked him, desperate. "Hiccup-what can we do?"
