The following morning came slowly as the previous night was sleepless for all the dragon riders. Either kept awake doing their night-watch duties over the villagers, or from the sheer thought that one arrow was now enough to kill their beloved reptilian pets. Even Fishlegs, the one rider who's dragon this did not technically effect, since Gronckles were not susceptible to dragonroot poisoning, was kept sleepless due to his pure-hearted worry for every other dragon out there, his friends' especially. When it was Hiccup's turn to sleep he did so in Fishlegs' cabin, since heather and Eira were still using his hut, and he had been able to sleep a full four hours while Fishlegs was out on guard duty with Snotlout – Hiccup had been joined by the twins for the first watch.

A loud horn blew in the distance. Loud enough to wake everyone who was indeed still sleeping on base at the Edge. The boat was here. And while all the Berkians, including the riders went to greet Gothi and the crew at the docks, Heather stayed put with Eira who was still bed bound. The two girls had been up for a few hours at that point, not speaking, just enjoying one another's company
"How many, Eira?" She asked, looking at the sunrise peaking over the trees and streaming light into Hiccup's cabin, illuminating the two girls and their sleepy faces.
"19 days now." Eira frowned. "And I'm going to have to spend most of that time healing" The redhead was more than worried about how little time she had before the next change.
"Don't rush finding yourself a dragon." Heather said "You take the time left of this cycle to look after yourself. I'll come back when you need me and we can say we're having a girls night, a sleepover or something and go somewhere just us two. That'll buy you another month." Heather patted the battered redhead's hand.

Eira all but sighed in relief, thankful for the offer. "Honestly not having to worry about this cycle would do me a world of good." The barefoot Viking breathed. "Thank you. Really"
"I'll have to get back to my people soon. But I'm going to leave you and the riders with the recipe for Dagur's potion, I have a feeling Hiccup will be wanting to be making a lot of it." Heather began packing up her stuff, though there wasn't much to gather. Eira prepared herself for her check-up; Gobber, Hiccup and Gothi would walk in any minute and tell her it was time to go out, she knew she'd have to be moved outside so the older woman could write about Eira's condition in the sand for Gobber to translate – Hiccup had given her the rundown earlier. She tried to stand up, but the poison still had her weak. She gestured to the special canteen Heather had been giving her top ups of the medicine from, and the brunette obliged. Eira found that the taste left a lot to be desired, since it was designed for dragon consumption not for human consumption, so tasting great wasn't a priority, but either way she knew that down the hatch it must go. So down the hatch it did go.

"Heather…" Eira shuddered and wiped her mouth before continuing "Before you leave do you mind going to where the weapons are being stored which were confiscated off the hunter's bodies?" The redhead had that determined look in her eye that Heather recognised well.
"What do you need me to fetch?" Heather tiredly half-smiled.
"A single hunter's arrow, a normal one if you can find it. And while you're there can you check the other quivers to see how many of these concentrated dragonroot arrows there?" Heather nodded in the affirmative and was about to head off when her barefoot friend stopped her with her next sentence "And maybe while you're on your way you can grab a certain blonde and chubby viking and make it a date?" Eira jested and Heather turned redder than a changewing's normal skin.

"W-what!? How did you, I never told you anything about me and Fishlegs!"
'O-hoh! So there is a 'you and Fishlegs'" Eira teased, mirth in her eyes.
"Wh-whatever! Did one of the others tell you?" Heather's blush wasn't subsiding at all
"No, I just saw you two together yesterday, plus you know… you licked the same arrowhead!" Eira burst out laughing even more "Just skip to the wedding already!"
"Why you little-!" Heather stomped over to her friend, her fist raised, and Eira knew her brunette friend wasn't above violence in a moment like this, but she didn't care, she kept laughing and prepared herself for the hit.

But instead of a punch… she was suddenly enveloped in to a hug. "What are you doing?"
"I didn't say this before…. But I'm so glad you're alive" Heather teared up a little "Thank you Ei…. Thank you for coming back to me. I love you" She hugged tighter and Eira returned the embrace.
"I love you too" She whispered, willing herself not to be infected with the tears Heather was shedding. Eira knew once she started crying it'd be hard to stop, and she had company coming.

Right on que, Hiccup, Gobber and Gothi walked in. And the two girls separated their hug, still seated on the bed smiling to one another. And Gobber grinned "Sorry lassies, are we interrupting a moment" He wriggled his brows, hoping to have found some goss.
"No you were just in time" Heather parted, eyes on her best friend "I was about to get mushy" Heather huffed and Eira playfully hit her friends arm. "I'll be back soon with the stuff you wanted."
"Don't forget to count how many are out there of the stronger ones yeah?" Eira said, and watched as the Berserker lady reprimanded her with a 'I know, I know' and departed Hiccup's cabin.

Hiccup then walked up the stairs to the ginger haired woman in his bed, fighting a blush at the though of that notion, and asked her if she needed help getting outside for her checkup with Gothi. They needed to go outside so Gothi could write in the dirt as she examined the girl, something which sadly couldn't be done inside. She nodded "Yes, sorry for the trouble. It's just I still can't walk almost at all." Eira huffed angrily at her helplessness "Gobber, would you be able to carry me outside?"
"Coming, Lass" The right hand, well right hook, of Stoick the vast began trudging up the steps before Hiccup called out.
"Don't worry Gobber I got this." Hiccup astonished Eira, Gobber and even himself, and scooped up the little redhead, one of his hands under the crook of her knees, and one under her shoulderblades. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood up, picking her up effortlessly. Thor, she's so small! And I thought picking up Astrid was surprisingly light, but this is something else. He reprimanded himself for comparing the two in his head, but a part of him knew he couldn't help it, he was just so astonished at how light she was. She needs to eat more!

"You sure you're okay carrying me?" Eira asked, and Hiccup looked down at her form in his arms. She was still covered in bandages, big and small. His gaze fell to her décolletage and worried himself over how deep the cut across the side of her neck was. How close a call that would have been, and how many other close calls she had had fighting for his tribe. Even after over a week of actively ignoring her. And yet in this state she was worried about him lifting her up.

"I've kissed babies from the village who weighed more than you!" Hiccup chortled and started pacing down the steps carefully.
"Shut up! I'm not even that small!" Eira's face turned slightly red.
"You're nearly a foot shorter than me" He smirked, noticing her blush, and tried not to laugh, as he walked past Gobber and Gothi and outside and down the ramp to the nearest patch of dirt. Gothi watched the pair intently, and had a knowing smile on her face.
"Aye but you yerself have sprouted a bit over the past 3 years Hiccup" Gobber interjected.
"Hiccup was a runt, you say?" Eira smirked.
"Don't make me drop you, Eira" Hiccup warned.
"You wouldn't" She teased smiling.
"As awfully tempting as it is, you're right… I wouldn't." Hiccup sighed.

"Enough flirting you two." Gobber said as he laid down a blanket on the grass next to a patch of dirt. Gothi wrote in the dirt and Gobber translated "'You do need to set her down Hiccup.' She says" And Hiccup laid down her battered form, unhappy to see her flinch in the shifting movement. Worry filled his eyes, realising that it was as bad as it looked.
"Thanks Hiccup" She said as he slowly let her go, but as he locked eyes with her upon hearing her words, he realised their position. He was on his knees leaning over her vulnerable now laid-down figure, their faces only an inch apart and his hands on either side of her. How it was his turn to blush and he pulled away for Gothi to examine her.

Gobber and Hiccup watched over the next half hour as Gothi painstakingly worked her way over the various injuries. Newer and older. The old woman would unwrap an injury, stare at it for a moment, wash the wound – much to Eira's discomfort – and then re-wrap it in clean linen bandages. And then the process would repeat on the next injury, and the next, and the next. Hiccup's fist clenched each time he saw another gash or laceration, since Gothi seemed to be picking the wounds in order of least consequential to most gut wrenching. Though how she knew which ones would be worst before unwrapping them Hiccup had no clue. Eventually the older woman eased Eira to sit up so she could inspect her back, Eira went along with it until she realised her scars on either side of her spine were now on display.

"Nothing to see back there Gothi." Eira said, emotionlessly. "Those ones aren't relevant to today's check-up" She laughed, with fake written over ever chuckle. Hiccup still remembered that night on Berserker's island, and how she'd reacted to him seeing them for the first time. How blank she had been, how much she turned off her own emotions… until he comforted her and she fell apart. But something told him that nothing was going to make her fall apart right now. There were too many eyes on her. Gothi nodded, smiling gently at the girl, before grabbing her staff and using it to steady herself up onto her feet. She began writing.

"'There's plenty of wounds there that, had I seen them yesterday, I'd be worried about. But you seem to be healing remarkably well young lady.' She says" Gobber translated "'There's no sign of infection, but you should keep on top of it, and wash the wounds every day. But overall you are a remarkably strong Viking, Eira. And I hope you and I don't have too many more reasons to meet!' She says" Eira chuckled, genuinely this time.
"Well, knowing me, we probably will see a lot of each other anyway" She smiled, and Hiccup scowled at her "What?" Eira said defensively, spotting Hiccup's expression.
"'Hiccup you can take her back now, make sure she gets plenty of rest and she should be able to start walking around in a few days. Although don't push it. No running or mountain climbing for at least a few weeks!' She says" Hiccup nodded, and went to pick her up again. Eira, didn't blush so much this time round, and Hiccup, though he wouldn't dare say it out loud, wished she had. He walked away, carrying the 5'1" warrior back to his hut. And Gobber was about to follow him before Gothi grabbed his tunic. He looked down and saw her writing in the dust again.

"'We… need… to talk' you say?" Gobber translated confused. And Gothi nodded, a stern look on her face.