Another one of my favorite scenes! This one was fun to write haha.
Entry 85
Well, I'm still in Berk. But that's the last thing I want to talk about right now. There's so much that happened yesterday, I can't even think cohesively. I guess I'll start with the less awesome, more terrifying stuff.
I found the dragon's Nest. And it's far worse than my father ever imagined.
The dragon's don't steal from us just because; they steal for HER. There's a dragon on their island, unlike anything I've ever seen in my life. I've never even READ about anything like it. It's colossal, almost as big as the volcano it lives in. And if its needs aren't met… it kills the perpetrator. I saw a Gronckle be devoured whole, just for not bringing enough of an offering.
This is really bad. I know my dad hasn't given up on finding the Nest, but if he truly does find it… we're all goners. I can't see a way of fighting that monster and coming back alive.
Toothless barely even escaped, and he's the fastest dragon we know of. No, if there's even a MINUTE chance of killing the Queen, we'd have to outsmart it, somehow. But I don't know if it's even worth trying… I want to stop the raids, but I also want to live to see my next birthday. Besides, what would I say? I just have a HUNCH on where the Nest is? Because I definitely couldn't tell the truth on how I found it.
But that's not what I want to talk about, important as it is. No, something else happened yesterday, and I almost can't even believe it's even real.
ASTRID KISSED ME. ME! RIGHT ON THE CHEEK! I'VE BEEN DREAMING OF THIS FOR YEARS!
Okay, okay, I'll calm down. Besides, she almost killed me first.
I was heading to the Cove to grab Toothless and leave Berk, but Astrid was waiting for me. She tried to get me to spill what I'd been up to the past month, and I tried to come up with excuses. Then, Toothless charged upon seeing her drop the handle of her axe onto me, and she got ready to strike. I tackled her just in time, trying to calm them both down and explain that Toothless wasn't going to hurt her. Astrid shook her head and took off running back in the direction of Berk. She was going to tell on me, spill Toothless' secret and guarantee his death. I could NOT let that happen. I begged Toothless to catch her, and he begrudgingly agreed, carrying her to the top of a pine tree.
Astrid started yelling at me, and I pleaded with her to just trust me, to let me show her that Toothless was not a danger. Finally she got on his back, and I was relieved… for about five seconds.
Apparently, Toothless had other plans, which included making us look as terrible as possible. He took off, sending us into barrel roll after barrel roll, before free falling into the ocean and dunking us in the water several times. I scolded him, but he wouldn't listen. He brought us back up and into an out of control spin before plummeting once again. Astrid grabbed onto me, pleading for forgiveness, and FINALLY, Toothless stopped. He opened his wings, sending us into a calm glide, before ascending right into the clouds.
It was magical… the way the sunlight reflected off the clouds, casting a pink glow on everything. Astrid released her death grip on me and began to take in the flight, purely in awe. Toothless took us into a loop, and I felt Astrid shift, reaching her arms to the sky, a look of pure bliss on her face. We flew until the sun set, setting the sky ablaze with the colors of the Bïfrost Bridge. And, as we glided above the clouds… Astrid wrapped her arms around me, resting her chin on my shoulder. I tensed at first, unsure how to react to such an intimate action, before smiling. Toothless dove back through the clouds, giving us an incredible view of a nighttime Berk, before climbing back into the cover of the sky.
It was after that incredible flight that we found the Nest. It almost seemed like Toothless' senses had been taken over, and he couldn't control the urge to go there. It makes me wonder if that's the Queen's doing… it would make sense.
But when we got back to the Cove, Astrid jumped off his back, saying we had to tell my dad about the Nest. I jumped off too, stopping her. I explained that if he found out, they'd kill Toothless. She backed me into a corner, asking if protecting him was really the most important thing… and without even thinking, I responded "yes". At that, her harsh stare softened, and she asked what we were going to do. "We". Not "me". She was in on this secret now.
Overwhelmed, I told her to give me until tomorrow, that I would figure something out. She said okay, then punched me in the arm.
"That's for kidnapping me," she said, and I looked back at Toothless. This girl was so confusing… and it only got more confusing. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment, contemplating her next actions. Then, she brushed her bangs behind her ear, grabbed my vest and briefly kissed my cheek. "That's for… everything else." Before I could even respond, she took off running.
I just stared after her retreating form, trying to process what just happened. Toothless came up beside me, and I asked him what he was looking at, getting him to quickly shift his gaze. "That's right, you overgrown reptile, you saw nothing." I went to work on gathering my supplies to take home, but I couldn't keep a ridiculous grin off my face. Astrid really kissed me. Never, in a million years would I have thought that was possible. She absolutely HATED me, just earlier that day. But now… we're on the same team.
I just wish it didn't have to end tomorrow. My final exam is in the afternoon, and I still don't know what I'm going to do. I know I can't kill that dragon, but I also don't know how to avoid it. Maybe… maybe I'll just take a chance. All or nothing; maybe… I'll try and change their minds. Just like I've changed Astrid's.
Until next time…
-H
