Hello! I am so sorry that I missed yesterday, but I was so tired after writing only 500 words that I decided I'd just finish it today. And today, I am still exhausted. So, please be aware that this is by no means my best work, and I will strive to write a better one-shot tonight for what should be todays, but if not, expect two amazing stories tomorrow! Perhaps I'll even write the next two-shot! School is finished for me now, so from tomorrow onwards, my writing should be better than ever.

So, despite the not-so-great quality of this story, I hope you enjoy!

.oOo.

The cold is a funny thing. During the long, summer months, you could wish for nothing but the release from the scorching sun overheating your body, and yet, before you know it, the winter can strike, as suddenly as you'd imagined it, placing you on the literal verge of frostbite.

A blanket of snow may be covering the ground, but rather than one which is soft and loose, just comfortable enough to keep you warm, it becomes one which is tucked in tight, and no matter how much you wriggle, it won't budge, as stubborn as the Vikings themselves. It restricts your movements, quite literally, as Hiccup Haddock III and the other dragon riders found themselves stranded on Dragon's Edge due to the torrential weather surrounding them.

It hammered down towards earth like something which was stuck within a determined mindset, not changing its course or path for anything.

Hiccup gazed up at the sky, and let it fall onto his face. It felt gentle as it brushed cooly over his smooth skin.

No matter how angry he was, he couldn't deny it was beautiful. When walked upon, the snow produced a satisfying crunching sound, making the future chief of Berk want nothing more than to act like a child again, and make a snow angel in it.

The waterfall still burst out of the cliff as it had before the baltic temperatures had hit, and the white surrounding it made it look like a fall of mystery and temptation.

Winter had always been his favorite season. Yes, the ice made it a tad harder for him to walk with his prosthetic, but it was all worth it for the beauty and magic which lay around him.

Anger was not what he was feeling then, no matter how much he told himself and acted like it was. It was sadness.

Back on Berk, his father would be spending the holidays without him for the first time since he was born. But not only that, he was on death's hitlist, laying in bed unconscious and severely injured after he went out on patrol alone.

Hiccup knew he had been in this state for quite some time now, but it was the holidays, and he had vowed never to leave him alone during this time. Even though it had been eighteen years, it was still the time Stoick missed Hiccup's mother the most.

The way the blizzard had come meant that a terrormail could not be sent to Berk to alert them of their wellbeing, nevermind them flying back. Even the immensely powerful wings of the Nightfury would be unable to cut through the thick clouds covering the sky that evening.

He sighed and sat down in the snow, feet dangling off of the edge of the cliff, and longed for home.

"Hey," Hiccup's head twisted around in surprise, but slowly returned to staring out to sea when he saw it was only Astrid, and not someone attempting to kill him.

"Why are you sitting out here all alone? Fishlegs is cooking Snoggletog dinner, and I've left Heather in charge of Snotlout and the twins. I thought we could go up and eat and perhaps have a game of Maces and Talons?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Come on, Hiccup. It's Snoggletog!" She paused when he didn't respond. "I know you are missing home, and want to see your dad, but you have to eat."

"I know, I know..." He sighed again. "It's just so hard. He's bad, Astrid," Hiccup squeezed his eyes shut tight. "We all know he's bad. For all I know, this could be our last Snoggletog together and I'm stuck here with you guys!" Astrid looked taken aback, and Hiccup only then fully registered what he had said. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out that way-"

"Hiccup," She cut him off. "It's Snoggletog. Your favourite holiday. Would Stoick really want you to be sitting here moping about him rather than enjoying it? No. Even if something happens, which I highly doubt, your dad would want you to move on. Fishlegs said the blizzard looks as if it will slow tonight, meaning we'll fly home to Berk first thing in the morning. But for now, come eat and try to have some kind of fun," She stood up when she heard voices coming from behind her.

"Hey, muttonheads! Over here!" Snotlout was running round, arms out like a starfish and he was laughing as the swims chased after him balls of snow in their hands.

"Sorry Astrid! I could not keep them from fighting! Better they take it to the snow than the weapons rack!" Heather looked exasperated, and it was rather funny, because taken out of context, it sounds as if the other Vikings are children rather than supposedly mature teenagers.

"Taste this, Snotlout!"Ruffnut pelted a snowball at him and it hit him hard in the face. He spat it out and began wiping his eyes angrily.

"Hey! No fair! I wasn't ready!"" He picked one up in his hands, shaped it, and threw it at Tuffnut, who ducked and it hit heather in the stomach.

"Right! That's it! Let me show you how it's really done!" She made three,and her arm moving as quickly as a tornado, she hit Snotlout, Ruffnut and Astrid at the same time.

All hell then broke loose, and the four were throwing balls of snow here, there and everywhere.

"Hey guys! What's going on out he-" Fishlegs stopped dead in his tracks, his head popping out of the door to the Edge's little kitchen, as a snowball which had not long left Heather's hand hit him too. "Ohhhh," He shook his head and smiled menacingly. "The food can wait."

"Right, that's enough!" Astrid yelled, and everyone froze and stared at her. "You guys are not doing this!.. without me!" And with that, she flung one at Heather, who squealed and quickly jumped to the side.

"You're on!"

Hiccup watched his friends have fun, but just could not bring himself to join in. Every time he felt an urge to fling the beautiful white powder, the image of his dad popped into his mind and he paused, refraining himself. This was not the time for having fun.

Standing up, he vowed it best to take himself out of the situation to avoid all temptation. The exciting screams of delight coming from behind him made him smile a weak smile as he staggered back to hit hut.

"Hi yah!" Was all he heard before a snowball hit him directly in the centre of his back.

It was Baltic, dripping freezing cold water right down his back. His entire body tensed, and his arms flew up to the sides of his head in surrender subconsciously. Uncontrollable shivering was a coming quickly, and he looked a bit like an angry cat as he arched his back away from the cold. He spun around slowly, an angry look on his face, and everyone stared at him sheepishly. Fishlegs was cowering away, hand still soaking, so Hiccup presumed it was him who had thrown it

Suddenly Hiccup broke into a smile, and picked up some snow of his own, excited about giving in to temptation. "You want to fight? Well, lets fight!" And he yelled the Berkians' battle cry as he raced into the centre of the clearing and joined in the raging winters fight which had commenced.

And he couldn't deny, he was having a brilliant time.

He was shrieking with laughter, and ran up and high-fives Astrid whenever they both his Snotlout at the same time, leaving him temporarily blinded by snow, and everyone began to pelt him with snow as he tried to re-find his bearing.

Because Astrid was right. Hiccup knew that Stoick would want him to be having fun. And for the first time that Snoggletog, he was actually enjoying himself and was ecstatic thinking about the night ahead.

Astrid was right. But then again, she's very rarely wrong.